An Unexpected Companion on An Unexpected Journey
by Bunny's daughter
Summary: Gandalf brings a friend with on the journey to reclaim Erebor with Bilbo and the thirteen dwarves. At first they don't trust her for she has many secrets. But along the way, three of the Company fall for her and she gains friends amongst the rest. (I suck at summaries. Sorry! Rated T just in case. I own none of this. It all belongs to Tolkien. I added an OC. All charries included.)
1. Gandalf & A Friend Visits Bilbo

Bilbo's smoke ring collapses and becomes a smoke moth just as two figures walk up to his mailbox. The moth flies into Bilbo's, a sixty years younger Bilbo but still Bilbo, face causing him to wake from his own thoughts. He looks up in shock to see a tall hooded figure and a pale skinned female that was just slightly shorter thanthe hooded figure.

"Good morning," Bilbo said taking another puff from his pipe. He raised his eyebrow at the two almost in a questioning manner but doesn't say anything. Gandalf gives the Hobbit a small smile while the female merely stares at him a bit coldly.

"What do you mean? Do you mean to wish us a good morning whether we want it or not? Or do you mean to wish us a good morning? Or, perhaps you mean to feel good on this particular morning. Or are you simply stating this is a morning to be good on?" Gandalf asked Bilbo, and this time the female has a hint of a smile on her face.

"All of them at once I suppose, I suppose," Bilbo said slowly, the look on his face once of utter confusion. The female's small smile returns to a scowl, a cold expression, and gives him a disapproving look. Uneasily, and uncertain of what to do or say next, Bilbo asked, "Can I help you?"

"That remains to be seen for the time being. We're looking for someone to share in an adventure," the female said speaking for the first time, her voice sounding both melodic and dangerous at the same time.

"An adventure? Now, I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in adventures," Bilbo said getting up and getting his mail, and as he continued," Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things, Make you late for dinner, hm, mm." As he looks his mail over, he tuts and clucks to himself and begins looking uncomfortable since, whenever he glanced over at his mailbox again from the corner of his eye, the two were still there. He gave his pipe a few puffs before heading back towards his door. He stopped, turning back, and found that they were were still, since the last time he had looked, there.

"Good morning," Bilbo tells them for a second time. This earned a rather disapproving look from each one of the figures before him, a slightly colder one coming from the woman.

"To think we have lived to good-morninged by Belladonna Took's son, as if we were selling buttons at the door," Gandalf said more to the female next to him than the Hobbit in front of them as they advanced further along the fence. Bilbo turned back to look at them with another confused look on his face, although this one wasn't as bad as the first.

"Beg your pardon?"

"You've changed and not entirely for the better, Bilbo Baggins," the pale woman spoke yet again. Her voice was so quiet that it made it sound like she could attack and kill anyone in a matter of seconds if she really wanted to or the need called upon it.

"I'm sorry, but do I know you?" Bilbo questioned, taking a few more puffs from his pipe.

"Well, you know my name but you don't remember whether or not I belong to it. I'm Náriel. And that Gandalf, Gandalf meaning well him," Náriel said speaking a little louder this time.

"Náriel. Gandalf….not the wandering wizard and the lone warrior, who made such excellent fireworks! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve. Ha ha!" Bilbo exclaimed laughing, then said as he returned his pipe to his mouth for the umpteenth time, "Well. Hmm, I had no idea you two were still in business."

"And where else would or should we be?" Gandalf inquired with a bushy eyebrow raised.

"Ha, ha! Hmm, hmm…" Bilbo again chuckled nervously, puffing his pipe again confusedly.

"Well, I'm pleased to see you remember something about us, even if it is only our fireworks!" Gandalf said smiling, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Well that's decided. It will be good for you, and most amusing for me. We shall inform the others," Náriel nodded slightly along with Gandalf.

"Inform the who? No. No. No! Wait!" At Náriel's words, Bilbo's eyes widened. He retreats towards the door, in frustration mainly, to his Hobbit hole, quite quickly too. Upon turning back towards the two, he starts gesturing at Gandalf with his pipe.

"We do not want any adventures here, thank you!" Bilbo exclaimed pointing at his doorstep," Not today. I suggest you try over the Hill or across the Water. Good morning." Bilbo says one last time before quickly closing his front door. He lets out a soft sigh and leans against the door.

Outside, Gandalf shared a look with the woman with him. She nodded slightly and the wizard made his way to the front door of the Hobbit hole. With the tip of his staff, he carved a glowing rune into the door. After he was finished, the rune lost its bright color and Gandalf stepped away from it.

Meanwhile, inside, Bilbo had heard a strange noise outside the door he leant against. So he bent down to better hear it. But then all fell silent, so he went to the window beside the door and peered out. Suddenly, Gandalf's eye appears in the glass and Bilbo jumps back alarmed to hide behind a nearby wall. After a moment, he slowly moves towards another window and looks outside to see Gandalf's and Náriel's retreating back.

_**This is my first Hobbit story, so please no flames. Please leave a review with your comments. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll be updating it within the next few days. **_


	2. The Beginnings of Arrivals

Hours later…during the night…

Bilbo was still in his Hobbit hole, but he was preparing a delicious supper of fish. As he sits down to begin enjoying it, the symbol outside on his door begins to glow a bright blue. Not too long after, a tall dark shadow falls over the small door. Bilbo meanwhile had placed a napkin in his collar, sprinkled salt on his fish, and was just about to squeeze lemon juice over it when the doorbell rang. With both a mental and a verbal sigh, he gets up and opens his door to reveal a tall bald dwarf.

"Ah," Bilbo said, a look of surprise evident on his face. The dwarf, with a fierce look about him, turns towards Bilbo and bows slightly.

"Dwalin, at your service," Dwalin spoke quietly, yet his voice sounded angry. Bilbo lets out something that sounds like a whimper. Regaining his composure, he ties his robe and stands as tall as his short stature would allow him too.

"Bilbo Baggins, at yours," Bilbo manages to say before Dwalin pushes his way inside without an invitation,"D...do we know each other?"

"No," Dwalin replies almost automatically as he dumps some of his stuff on the ground, the rest he just shoves at Bilbo. "Which way, laddie? Is it down here?"

"I...is what down where?" Bilbo questions, mentally smacking himself for sounding frightened.

"Supper. He said there would be food and lots of it," Dwalin responds as he finds Bilbo's dinner sitting on the table. Without bothering to ask, Dwalin sits down and begins eating the fish, flesh and head. Meanwhile Bilbo looks on in confusion and disgust.

"Mmm, this is very good. Any more?" Dwalin comments on the fish before looking at Bilbo expectantly. Bilbo, who'd been thinking of how he would have been enjoying a nice read in front of his fireplace if this confounded dwarf hadn't shown up, jumped at the sound of the dwarf's voice and hurriedly nodded.

"What? Uh, oh, yes, yes," Bilbo said nodding again before picking up a plate of biscuits from the windowsill. He goes to hand it to Dwalin, but thinks better of it and quickly takes two (making sure to hide them behind his back mind you) then hands the plate to the bald dwarf beside him. Said dwarf just grunts and stuffs the biscuits in his mouth.

"It's just that, I, um, I wasn't expecting company," Bilbo says quietly. When the doorbell rings for a second time, Bilbo looks up in alarm and nearly jumps out of his skin.

"That'll be the door," Dwalin said looking at the alarmed Hobbit.

…..

Nariel arrived at the Hobbit hole she'd been at just days before just in time to hear the sole inhabitant of the house (normally) to say he hadn't been expecting company. Quietly, she walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. She couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes as she heard Dwalin tell Bilbo someone was at the door. As if the Hobbit couldn't have figured that out for himself.

After a few moments, Bilbo opened the door to reveal Nariel. The look that came over his face conveyed that he was relieved she was there, but it was also filled with a sort of confusion and annoyance. Nariel offered the Hobbit a small smile before bowing to him slightly.

"Bilbo," Nariel said after she'd straightened again. The smile that had been on her face now gone.

"Nariel," Bilbo said in reply and stepped back to let her in. As she entered, Dwalin looked up and gave her a glare. She merely glared back at him in return and sat down in a shadowed corner of the living room. Bilbo didn't notice the exchange as he closed the door and started making his way back to the kitchen. No sooner than he'd crossed the threshold into the kitchen, the doorbell rang again. Nariel had to stop herself from letting out a small chuckle as she watched the Hobbit visibly cringe and head back to the door with his head down. This time when Bilbo opened the door, it revealed an old white haired dwarf.

"Balin, at your service," the white haired dwarf introduced himself and bowed to Bilbo.

"Good evening," Bilbo replied politely, trying to keep his annoyance from seeping into his voice. The old dwarf nodded and looked up at the sky.

"Yes, yes it is, though it might rain later," Balin told Bilbo as he made his way inside, taking no notice of Nariel in the corner of the room. He laid a hand on the Hobbit's shoulder then and looked him in the eye, "Am I late?"

"Late for what?" Bilbo asks shutting the door to his home for the third time that evening. Balin doesn't answer as he sees Dwalin trying to get more biscuits from Bilbo's jar. He smiles and lets go of the Hobbit.

"Oh, ha, ha! Evening brother!" Balin exclaims laughing slightly. This then has Nariel thinking about her family. About how far she was away from them and how much she missed them.

"Oh, by my beard, you are shorter and wider than the last time we met," Dwalin says after he puts down the biscuit jar on the table. Balin shakes his head as he comes to stand in front of his brother.

"Wider, not shorter. And sharp enough for the both of us," Balin replies sending a small glare up at his younger brother. Laughing, they greet each other amicably. Putting their arms on each other's shoulders, they smash their foreheads together. Bilbo looks on in wonder and confusion. He sends a look at Nariel who just shrugs her shoulders.

"Uh, excuse me; sorry, I hate to interrupt but, uh, I'm not sure you've got the right house," Bilbo says but his words fall on deaf ears as the two dwarven brothers ignore him and move into his pantry where they pour ale and examine the food. "It's not that I don't like visitors. I...I like them as much as the next Hobbit, but I do like to know them before they come visiting." Balin and Dwalin are still not listening to him and continue to go through his pantry.

Nariel listens to them from her corner of the living room and begins to feel a pull of a smile try to cross her face. The way those two dwarves were ignoring the Hobbit reminded her of the way she'd ignore her father as she talked or played with her brothers. Of course she was always scolded later for ignoring him, but she didn't care. She continued to do it. The sound of the dwarves still talking was enough to bring her out of her thoughts of home and to get her to listen in on the conversation that was taking place.

"Ah, that looks very nice indeed," Balin says then nods at something Dwalin says to him. He picks up a lump of cheese and scrutinizes it with old eyes.

"What is this?" Dwalin says and takes the cheese from his elder brother. He too then looks it over and frowns.

"I don't know," Balin said. The rest of his sentence was lost to Nariel until the word cheese came up. Another smile threatened to worm it's way onto Nariel's face when she heard Bilbo still trying to talk to the dwarves. It reminded her so much of home that she almost forced herself not to listen to them.

"The thing is, um…" Bilbo said. To Nariel it sounded like his voice had trailed off. It was almost as if he was trying to listen to the dwarve's conversation more than he wanted to try talking to them.

Meanwhile, Dwalin and Balin had still been discussing the cheese in question.

"It's gone blue," Balin said a bit confused.

"It's riddled with mold," Dwalin said before taking the hunk of cheese from his brother and tossing it out of the pantry, past a Bilbo that apparently was still talking.

The thing is, um, I don't know either of you, not in the slightest. I don't mean to be blunt, but I had to speak my mind. I'm sorry," Bilbo finished speaking. Nariel heard Balin say something that was indistinguishable before a sort of silence fell over the Hobbit hole. This lead her to believe that the two dwarves had stopped whatever it is they were doing in the pantry to turn and look at Bilbo.

"What he means to say is that as much as he enjoys having you lovely dwarves around, he'd much rather be alone and enjoying a good read," Nariel said speaking up for the first time from the living room, breaking the silence that had fallen over the small home.

Whether they heard her or not wasn't certain. But Nariel was pretty sure she could guess the looks they'd have on their faces. Dwalin's would be one of disgust and resentment, and Balin's probably would have been one of at first confusion then indifference. Shrugging to herself, she leant her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. Next thing she knew there were voices filling the air again as if conversation had never come to a halt.

"Hm. Apology accepted," Balin said smiling at the Hobbit. Bilbo made a sound that was one Nariel couldn't quite make out, but it brought a small smile to her face as she let out a small laugh.

Listening to the rest of the conversation was much like the rest of it had been, but Nariel wasn't going to say more. At least not until Gandalf got there. She'd probably end up helping Bilbo contain the dwarves until the Wizard got there. She let out another small chuckle and in the back of her mind, she registered that the doorbell had rung yet again and Bilbo stomping towards the door to answer it. When the Hobbit opened the door, it revealed not one but two dwarves this time. One of them was blonde and had a beard as well as a mustache that just happened to be braided and had startling blue eyes. The other one was dark hair, possessed no beard whatsoever, and had deep brown eyes.

Nariel unfortunately found herself staring at the latter. His smile was infectious as she found herself smiling slightly as well. The look on his face told her he was a carefree dwarf. That he didn't have a lot to worry about, but he was here to help out. To her that made him seem older somehow. But his eyes betrayed him, they showed how young he truly was.

_**I realize I might have cut this off at a weird spot and I apologize for that. Please review!**_


	3. The Beginning of Mistrust

Once again Nariel was broken out of her thoughts by the voices of dwarves.

"Fili," the blonde one said.

"And Kili," the dark one replied with a glance in Nariel's direction.

"At your service," Fili and Kili then said together with a small bow to Bilbo.

"You must be Mr. Boggins," Kili said with a huge smile on his face. Nariel couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Baggins. It's Baggins," Nariel said to them as she got to her feet.

"Nope, you can't come in, you've come to the wrong house," Bilbo said as he tried to shut the door. Both Kilii and Nariel stop him from doing so though. Kili with his foot and Nariel with her hand.

"What? Has it been cancelled?" Kili asked as he and his brother step over the threshold.

"No one told us," Fili said glancing at his brother and eyeing Bilbo.

"Can….No….nothing's been cancelled," Bilbo managed to stammer.

"Well, that's a relief," Kili said as the two of them pushed their way inside and began unloading their stuff onto Bilbo.

"Careful with these. I just had 'em sharpened," Fili says as he begins unloading all his knives onto Bilbo. Nariel soon lost count of how many knives there actually were. Even she didn't have that many!

Hearing footsteps, Nariel turned to see Kili walking down the hallway. The way the Hobbit home was built made him seem unnaturally tall. She watched as he came out of the hall and turned slightly to look around.

"It's nice. This place. D' you do it yourself?" Kili asked Bilbo then scrapes mud off of his boots onto a chest behind him.

"Ah, no, it's been in the family for years. That's my mother's glory box, can you please not do that?!" Nariel could hear Bilbo cry as she took all the knives and swords out of his tiny arms. She set them on the floor in the exact spot she had sat in when she'd arrived. Then she turned and guided Fili and Kili towards the kitchen more.

"Fili, Kili, come on and give us a hand," Dwalin said walking over to the three. He glared at Nariel as he guided the two boys away from her and into the kitchen.

"Mister Dwalin," Nariel heard Kili say before the three moved out of her sight.

"Let's shove this into the hallway, otherwise we'll never get everyone in," Balin said from the kitchen. Nariel heard furniture shifting around and shrugged to herself, sitting down again in the living room.

"E...ev...everyone? How many more are there?" Bilbo whimpered softly and Nariel found herself wishing she actually could tell Bilbo how many more would be there. Slowly she closed her eyes and tried to relax. In the background, she heard either Fili or Kili ask one of the other dwarves where they wanted a piece of Bilbo's furniture. Then the sound of the doorbell ringing loud and hard had Nariel sighing and reopening her eyes. Her eyes widened a little as she actually saw Bilbo stomping in anger towards the door again.

"Oh no. No, no, no! There's nobody home. Go away and bother someone else. There's far too many dwarves in my dining room as it is. If...If this is some clotterhead's idea of a joke, ha ha, I can only say it is only in very poor it's in very poor taste," Bilbo said bitterly as he opened his door. This time a whole pile of dwarves, eight of them, fall inside. They all struggle and yell at each other to get off, and Gandalf is standing calmly behind them.

"Gandalf," both Bilbo and Nariel said at the same time. Nariel could tell though that Bilbo was not quite as excited or relieved as she was to see the Grey Wizard though.

**_Again I am sorry if I cut this off at a weird spot. Hopefully y'all saw the little moments between Dwalin and Nariel._**


	4. A Merry Gathering and Meeting Thorin

The dwarves, all twelve of them, then began to go through Bilbo's pantry. Once again, Nariel sat down but this time it was in a corner of the kitchen where she was out of the way. She watched as Bilbo ran around trying to tell the dwarves to put everything (food, dishware, furniture) back, but every single one of them ignored the poor Hobbit. It was certainly chaotic in there at the moment. Everyone was walking about trying to find a spot to sit. Because she was so engrossed in watching the dwarves, she didn't notice that Gandalf was standing right next to her until one of the dwarves, Dori she thought his name was, walked up to them with a tray of tea.

"Excuse me, Mr. Gandalf and….." Dori paused realizing he didn't quite recognize this person.

Nariel gave him a faint smile as she replied, "Nariel. It's Nariel."

"...Nariel, can I tempt you with a nice cup of chamomile tea?" Dori asked, continuing on as if he hadn't had to stop and ask Nariel her name.

"Yes please," Nariel said and smiled yet again as the dwarf handed her a cup. She took a small sip as Gandalf replied.

"Oh, no thank you, Dori, a little red wine for me I think," Gandalf said before leaving Nariel's side, trying to avoid all the scurrying dwarves. Nariel watches as he hits his head on the chandelier, then he begins counting the beings present on his fingers.

"Let's see Nariel, Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Balin, Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori, Ori….." Gandalf trails off as Bifur, the one with the axe in his head (or so Gandalf had told Nariel) came up to him and said something in Khuzdul with body movements.

"You're quite right, Bifur. We appear to be one dwarf short," Gandalf said peering around the room again. His eyes then landed on Dwalin.

"He is late, is all. He traveled to the North to a meeting of our kin. He will come," Dwalin told him with utter surety.

"Mr. Gandalf?" Dori said to get his attention.

"Hmm?" Gandalf mumbled turning towards the dwarf.

"A little glass of red wine, as requested. It's got, eh, a fruity bouquet," Dori said wringing his hands slightly.

"Ah cheers," Gandalf said before drinking it. After the drink was gone, Nariel saw that Gandalf was staring at it with a sad look as if he wanted more. "Mmmm."

The dwarves, sitting in Bilbo's dining room, have a grand feast with all his food. They are quite rude and messy about it. Meanwhile Nariel and Gandalf remain quiet in a corner.

"Bombur, catch!'' Bofur shouts and throws some food to his brother. Bombur catches it and all the dwarves cheer. Not for the first time, Nariel found herself rolling her eyes. She never could understand dwarves, not that she actually knew many. Movement in the corner of her eye causes her to turn and see Bilbo walk into his pantry. She saw him freeze and guessed that there wasn't even a crumb left in the pantry. Turning her head again she sees Fili walking up on the table, knocking aside some ale and stepping in some food. Didn't he know that despite being weighed down with food tables could still tip? It had happened to her once. That had sent food flying right into her father's face. He hadn't been too happy with her.

The meal finishes, and the dwarves began walking about. Nariel decides to spare Bilbo some time of not having to deal with the dwarves and snatches a doily from Nori.

"That is a doily not a dishcloth," Nariel says quietly and folds it before setting it behind her.

"But it's full of holes!" Bofur said. Nariel nodded slightly.

"It's supposed to be like that. It's crochet," Nariel told him.

"Oh, and a wonderful game it is too, if you've got the balls for it," Bofur replied smiling slightly. Nariel let out a small chuckle but stopped when she heard Bilbo saying, "Bebother and confusticate these dwarves!"

"My dear Bilbo, what on earth is the matter?" Gandalf asked just as Nariel walked outside.

….

Outside Nariel could hear Bilbo complaining to Gandalf about the state his home was now in. As soon as she could, Nariel shut that out and turned her thoughts, not for the first nor the last time to home. It had been longer than she cared to admit since she'd seen her home. She missed her family and friends, but with the way she chose to live, a life of travel was really the only way she could cope sometimes. Cope with what you may ask? Coping with the fact that despite the generous number of friends she had, she was still alone. Coping with the fact that she had never been the favorite child of her father. Coping with how often she was critized by others.

Without even really meaning to, Nariel was once again hearing the noise coming from the Hobbit hole. It was a rhythmic thumping of feet and….something else. Silverware maybe? She found herself leaning closer in the direction of the small home. What was that noise she was hearing? For a few more moments she listened until she realized it was the dwarves singing a song. Something about doing all these nasty and disgusting things inside Bilbo's home and him hating it. She can vaguely hear the young Hobbit huff inside before her attention is turned away and to a figure coming down the road.

Whether or not the figure noticed her was a mystery upon seeing her the figure stopped in it's tracks. It looked at the Hobbit hole, at her, and back again. Nariel could hear the figure let out a sigh as it walked over to her. As it came closer, Nariel realized it must be another dwarf. This must be the one that Gandalf and Dwalin had been speaking of earlier.

"Is this the home of the Hobbit burgalur?" the figure asked her quietly, the voice obviously male.

"Depends on who is asking," Nariel replied carefully. The figure looked taken aback that someone like her would talk to him like that.

"Thorin Oakenshield," the male told her slowly, Nariel noticed that the dwarf even tried to stand a little taller as he spoke to her.

**Aaaaaaannnnnnnnndddddddddd Thorin has come into the picture. Company doesn't know he is there yet though. Review please!**


	5. A (somewhat) Unexpected Meeting

Last time….

"Depends on who is asking," Nariel replied carefully. The figure looked taken aback that someone like her would talk to him like that.

"Thorin Oakenshield," the male told her slowly, Nariel noticed that the dwarf even tried to stand a little taller as he spoke to her.

…..

"Nariel. Nice to meet you, Thorin. This is indeed the home of the Hobbit. Here let me show you in," Nariel said standing. She couldn't tell if Thorin had nodded or had simply looked up at her like she was crazy. Shrugging, she led the way up the steps. She allowed him to knock on the door and stood back so he seemed to be standing alone.

"He is here," comes Gandalf's voice after the house falls silent. Nariel is unsure of who opens the door, but she is positive it isn't Bilbo. Otherwise he would have started saying things he shouldn't.

"Gandalf, I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for the mark on the door and the woman sitting outside," Thorin spoke moving into the home and discarding his cloak.

" Mark? There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!" Bilbo exclaims glancing back at said door.

"There is a mark. I watched Gandalf put it there myself," Nariel whispered quietly. Gandalf raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing else.

"Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield," Gandalf spoke up from where he now was by the front door.

"So this is the Hobbit. Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting? And you, Nariel was it, how much have you done?" Thorin asked the two of them.

"Pardon me?" Bilbo asked staring at the dwarf in surprise. Meanwhile Nariel had rolled her eyes. The rest of the company had known of her involvement because of Gandalf, but she guessed the Wizard had neglected on telling Thorin about her.

"I'm not called the lone warrior for nothing, ya know," came Nariel's simple response. Thorin nodded slightly, almost reluctantly, and turned back to Bilbo.

"Axe or sword? What is your weapon of choice?" Thorin asked the Hobbit circling him slightly.

"Well, I have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see how that is relevant," Bilbo said bouncing on the balls of his feet and bringing his hands together. Thorin snorted and came to a stop in front of the Hobbit.

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

The dwarves all laugh and move back into the dining room. Thorin sits down and begins to eat. All the while, the other dwarves are talking to each other and to him. Nariel sits back in the same corner she had been in before and watches them all.

"What news of the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin asked. Thorin swallowed his bite of food and nodded.

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms," Thorin said softly. Nariel let a small smile cross her face as the dwarves in front of her murmured their joy. She didn't know what this meant to them quite yet, but she guessed it really was important.

"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" Dwalin asked, interrupting the murmurs of joy. Everything fell silent and all eyes were suddenly on Thorin again. Just by watching the dwarf since he got here, Nariel couldn't understand how he could put up with all this. She herself though she'd most certainly crack under the pressure.

Thorin's expression turns grave as he slowly shakes his head saying, "They will not come." When the dwarves' faces fall, so does Nariel's. She listens again to the murmurs of disappointment coming from them that had been murmurs of joy mere moments ago.

"They think this quest is yours and yours alone, don't they?" Nariel asked Thorin from her shadowed corner. The dwarves gave her dirty looks as if wondering why she had decided to interject herself into the conversation. She could see Thorin nod only slightly as the dwarves murmured again in further disappointment.

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo asked. The sudden voice coming from the Hobbit made Nariel jump. She had actually forgotten that he was there.

"Bilbo, if I were you I would not speak randomly like that again. At least let us know you're still here somehow if you do decide to," Nariel said shaking her head. A couple of the dwarves chuckled and Nariel scanned the small gathering to see who it had been. Her eyes fell on the three dwarves near Thorin (Bofur, Kili, and Fili) and she sent a small glare their way.

Gandalf raised an eyebrow at Nariel's statement but then ignored it and turned towards the Hobbit, "Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light."

Nariel watches as Bilbo brings a candle to the table and Gandalf spreads out a map. This map looked strangely familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place from where.

"Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands lies a single solitary peak," Gandalf says to them all.

"The Lonely Mountain," Bilbo and Nariel read at the same time. Once again, Nariel had a feeling she'd seen this map before. But once again it eluded her as to where exactly she had seen it before.

"Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time," a fiery red haired dwarf, Gloin?, spoke up.

"Ravens have been flying back to the mountain then?" Nariel asked. Oin reluctantly nodded in answer.

"Aye. When the birds of yore return to Erebor the reign of the beast will end," Oin said staring at them all. Out of the corner of her eye, Nariel notices Bilbo look up quickly at the word "beast".

"Uh, what beast?" Bilbo questioned them, both a concerned and frightened look on his face.

"Well, that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne firebreather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of precious metals….." Bofur said in an almost too cheerful voice.

"Yes, I know what a dragon is," Bilbo said quickly. Nariel listened as Ori says something about not being afraid and giving the dragon what's coming to him while other dwarves nodded in agreement. She was about to get up and force Ori back into his seat but Dori beat him to it.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us. But we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest," Balin said looking around the room. Again the dwarves start objecting at Balin's words.

"What did he say?" Oin asked, his hearing trumpet still not working so well. Fili then slammed his fist down on the table. Loud enough to get the dwarves to quiet down, and loud enough to make Nariel jump.

"We may be few in numbers, but we're fighters, all of us, down to the last dwarf!" Fili exclaimed.

"And you forget, we have a Wizard in our Company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time," Kili exclaimed as well.

Nariel watches as Gandalf begins looking embarrassed and trying to change the subject. The dwarves then jump to their feet, all of them arguing about how many dragons Gandalf has killed. Nariel's eyes settles on Thorin, who had up until now, been sitting calmly at the table. He jumps up in anger and bellows, silencing everyone in the room.

"Shazara!" Thorin yelled.

"Silence," Nariel muttered beneath her breath, too quietly for anyone to actually hear her.

"If we have read these signs do you not think others have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for sixty years. Eyes look east to the mountain. Assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor? Du Bekar! Du Bekar!" Thorin yells throwing his fist into the air. The dwarves all cheer and Nariel smiles softly.

"You forget the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain," Balin said and everyone's face fell once again.

**Gloomy and a bit depressing, huh? Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter! Please leave a review?**


	6. Scaring Bilbo

_Last time:_

_"If we have read these signs do you not think others have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for sixty years. Eyes look east to the mountain. Assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor? Du Bekar! Du Bekar!" Thorin yells throwing his fist into the air. The dwarves all cheer and Nariel smiles softly._

_"You forget the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain," Balin said and everyone's face fell once again._

….

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true," Gandalf said speaking up. Everyone, meaning all the dwarves, looked at him in surprise. Nariel's face however was void of emotion. Gandalf had told her of the other way in when he had come to her to get her to join the quest. She watched silently as Gandalf drew out a ornately wrought dwarvish key. Her eyebrows raise as Thorin looks at it in wonder. She had assumed he would have known about this.

"How came you by this?" Thorin's voice was filled with disbelief.

"It was given to him by your father, by Thrain, for safekeeping," Nariel spoke up for almost the first time since she'd followed Thorin into the Hobbit hole.

"It is yours now," Gandalf finished her sentence and handed the key to Thorin, who looked at it in wonder. There was a few moments of silence as the dwarves stared in wonder at the object in Thorin's hand. Nariel shifted in her seat a few times. Long uncomfortable silences had never been her strong point. She was about to say something just to break the silence, but Fili beat her to it.

"If there's a key, there must be a door," Fili whispered breaking the silence that had fallen over them all. Nariel then gestured at the map and the runes that were on it.

"The runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls," Nariel said, ignoring the looks the dwarves were giving her.

"There's another way in!" Kili said and one could not wipe the smile off his face even if they'd tried.

"Well, that's if we can find it, but dwarven doors are invisible when closed," Nariel spoke up right after. This time even Thorin gave her a look. She could tell he wanted to ask her how she knew so much about what it is that was going on and what would happen. He opened his mouth as if he were going to say something, but Gandalf interrupted him by speaking instead.

"The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map but I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-Earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful and clever, I believe it can be done," Gandalf said quickly taking the attention off of Nariel.

"That's why we need a burglar," Oin said with a slight smile on his face.

"Hmm, a good one too. I'd imagine," Bilbo said speaking up again out of the blue causing Nariel to jump for the second time that night.

"Bilbo….." Nariel said with a hint of a warning in her voice.

"He said he's an expert!" Oin exclaimed loudly and several of the other dwarves laugh.

"Me? No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar. I've never stolen a thing in my life," Bilbo stammered quickly.

"I'm afraid I'd have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material," Balin said slowly, almost sadly while Bilbo nodded in agreement.

"Aye, the Wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves," Dwalin said eyeing both Bilbo and Nariel. Ever so slowly, Nariel could feel an anger building up inside her. Quickly she stood and throws a knife right at him, said knife landing just above his head. The bald headed dwarf fixed her with a hard glare but all Nariel did was glare right back.

"I may not have been around quite as long as you, Master Dwarf, but I can guarantee I know what I am doing in a fight. In fact, I could have easily killed you all several different ways by now if I had chosen to. But I didn't," Nariel hissed. The dwarf glowered at her angrily and yanked her knife from the wall. He tossed it in his hand a couple times before chucking it right at her. Nariel waited but then brought her hand up quickly, catching the knife that was only a couple inches from her face. "I told you, I know what I am doing."

The dwarves then all began to argue. Some about Bilbo. Some about whether or not to actually trust Nariel. All the while, Nariel could see Gandalf getting angrier and angrier. He stood up to his full height casting darkness over the room as he did so and speaks in a powerful voice.

"Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar then a burglar he is," Gandalf says then returns to his normal self, "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass by most unseen if they wish. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of Hobbits is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself. As for Nariel, I trust her completely. She's saved me on more than one occasion. You must trust me on this," Gandalf said calmly, his eyes circling over the dwarves before landing on Thorin. The dwarf in question nodded slightly and sighed.

"Very well. We'll do it your way," Thorin told the Wizard.

"No, no, no," Bilbo began pleading. His pleas fell on deaf ears.

"Give them the contract," Thorin said again.

"Please," Bilbo tried to plead again. Balin ignores him and hands a long contract to both Bilbo and Nariel.

"It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, and so forth," Balin said as Nariel signed her contract without even glancing at it and handed it back to him.

"Are ye sure, lass? You don't want to be making any hasty decisions," Balin said concerned for this young one. Nariel stood to her full height and fixed him with a glare.

"Unless you want to end up with a knife extremely close to you like your dear brother did in there, Balin, I would not question my decisions," Nariel warned. She didn't want to be mean to him, but she felt she had to to get her point across. She could take care of herself.

Balin nodded and wandered back to his seat. Meanwhile, Bilbo looked after him, still hung of the last couple of words of his last sentence to them both.

"Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo asked with a frightened look about him. He retreats back and reads the contract. Meanwhile, Thorin leans close to Gandalf and whispers to him.

"I cannot guarantee their safety," Thorin spoke quietly.

"Understood. Although you don't really need to worry about Nariel," Gandalf replied nodding slightly.

"Nor will I be responsible for their fates," Thorin added quickly.

"Agreed," Gandalf again responded nodding.

"Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of the total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, present company shall not be liable for any injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations…...eviscerations,,,incineration?" Bilbo asked looking at the dwarves with wide eyes.

"Aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye," Bofur told him. Nariel could see that the Hobbit visibly paled and looked breathless.

"Huh," Bilbo said stupidly. He leans down nauseous and faint.

"You alright, laddie?" Balin asked him.

"Uh yeah…..Feel a bit faint," Bilbo murmured.

"Think furnace with wings," Bofur said a little too cheerfully. Bilbo muttered something and Bofur continued talking. The next thing Nariel knew poor Bilbo was on the floor passed out. Immediately she went to his side and studied him for a second.

"He'll be fine. Bofur just scared him way too much," Nariel said glancing back at everyone that was by now staring at them. Her eyes quickly go up as she sees Gandalf making his way past the dwarves.

"That was very helpful, Bofur," Gandalf muttered as Nariel picked Bilbo up and set him in his chair.

**I thought it was an interesting and a not so weird point to stop at. Hope y'all liked this chapter. Please leave a review if you wish**


	7. The Beginning of Friendships?

Last time….

"Think furnace with wings," Bofur said a little too cheerfully. Bilbo muttered something and Bofur continued talking. The next thing Nariel knew poor Bilbo was on the floor passed out. Immediately she went to his side and studied him for a second.

"He'll be fine. Bofur just scared him way too much," Nariel said glancing back at everyone that was by now staring at them. Her eyes quickly go up as she sees Gandalf making his way past the dwarves.

"That was very helpful, Bofur," Gandalf muttered as Nariel picked Bilbo up and set him in his chair.

…

"I'm fine. I'll be alright. Just let me sit quietly for a moment," Bilbo said, a mug in his hand and seeming a little more relaxed in his chair as he talked to Gandalf and Nariel.

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long. Tell me, when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you?" Gandalf asked raising a bushy eyebrow. Nariel smiled faintly and stood up from the kneeling position she had been in.

"I remember a young Hobbit who was always running off in search of elves in the woods, who'd stay out late, and would come home after dark trailing only….." Nariel trails off for a moment trying to find the right word but can't so instead she makes a hand gesture," knows what. A young Hobbit that wasn't afraid to follow me around when I would make my way over here."

Gandalf nodded smiling a little as Nariel spoke to Bilbo. It was true. She had known the Baggins family a lot longer than most would think. She'd even managed to make a few friend's out of the Sackville-Bagginses! Not many could have claimed to do that.

"A young Hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is not in your books and maps. It's out there," Gandalf whispered softly, pointing outside.

"I can't just go running off into the blue. I'm a Baggins, of Bag-End," Bilbo said pausing for some dramatic effect.

"You are also a Took. Did you know that your great-great-great-great uncle Bullroarer Took was so large he could ride a real horse?" Gandalf asked, becoming a bit desperate now but he'd never let it show.

"Yes," Bilbo replied looking down at his mug. He couldn't count the number of times he'd been told about Bullroarer Took.

"Well he could. In the Battle of Green Fields, he charged the goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard that it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won," Gandalf told him. From her place across the room, Nariel smiled softly. She pushed off the wall and came to stand next to Gandalf.

"You forget my dear wizard that the game of golf was also invented at the same time," Nariel grinned nudging him slightly. The Grey Wizard gave her a warm smile and merely shrugged. The whole time though, Bilbo was looking at the pair in disbelief.

"I do believe you two made that up," Bilbo stated eyeing the two closely.

"All good stories deserve embellishment," Gandalf started then Nariel cut in.

"Besides, you'll have a tale or two of your own to tell of your own when you come back from this journey," Nariel finished. Bilbo shook his head slowly.

"You know it's a bit eerie how you and Gandalf are always finishing each other's sentences," a voice spoke up at Nariel's right elbow. She looked down to see that it was Bofur talking to her. With a weak smile, Nariel just merely shrugged her shoulders.

"I've known him a long time," Nariel said then bit her lip slightly.

"How long?" Bofur questioned her. That had been one of the questions she'd been hoping to avoid.

"Longer than I care to admit sometimes," Nariel told the toymaker as she glanced over in the Wizard's direction. Said being looked up from trying to convince Bilbo to come and gave her a small glare before returning to the conversation at hand.

"Why's that?" another voice piped up on her other side. Nariel turned slightly to see Kili standing next to her as well. Looking up, Nariel saw she was earning quite a few glares from dwarves in the next room. She guessed it was mainly because of her proximity to Kili at the moment.

"Well, he does have a knack for getting on my nerves," Nariel said shrugging yet again. She wasn't quite sure how to explain the relationship between her and Gandalf.

"How so?" Bofur asked her, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

"His constant riddles. While they may be a good deal of fun sometimes, at others they are infuriating when you want actual answers,'' Nariel told the two. She heard them say something else to her, but she ignored them. Her attention was solely on the back of a retreating Hobbit. She glanced at Gandalf who just nodded at her. Slowly, she was able to make her way over to his side.

"What did you say to him?" Nariel asked him. Maybe he had said the wrong thing and that was why the Hobbit had left the room.

"I merely told him he would not be the same after the journey," Gandalf told her, avoiding her gaze.

"Gandalf, what did he ask you? What did you tell him?" Nariel pressed him. The Grey Wizard shifted his feet and raised his shoulders a little. Meanwhile, Nariel was vaguely aware of a conversation going on between Thorin and Balin about Bilbo.

"He asked me if I could guarantee that he'd come back. I told him no and that if he did he wouldn't be the same," Gandalf replied and looked down at her. Nariel nodded and moved away from him to slowly edge her way closer to the two dwarves that were conversing about their burglar Hobbit.

"Hardly the stuff of legend," Nariel heard the tail end of one of Balin's words as she leant up against the wall close to where the two were.

''There are a few warriors amongst us," Thorin replied.

"Old warriors," Balin said shaking his head. It was that moment that Nariel chose to push away from the wall.

"But strong warriors still," Nariel stated offering Balin a weak smile. Balin nodded towards her gratefully while Thorin merely glared at her. Probably for interrupting the conversation they'd been having.

"I will take each and every one of these dwarves," Thorin stated putting emphasis on dwarves while sending another glare in Nariel's direction,"over an army from the Iron Hills. For when I called upon them, they came. Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart. I can ask no more than that."

"You don't have to do this. You have a choice. You've done honorably by our people. You've built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains, a life of peace and plenty. A life that's worth more than all the gold in Erebor," Balin said, a note of slight desperation in his voice. And as he had been talking, Nariel could have sworn she saw Thorin's eyes starting to tear up. Her gaze followed Balin's as Thorin held out the key Gandalf had given him earlier that evening.

"From my grandfather to my father, this has come to me. They dreamt of the day that the dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice, Balin. Not for me," Thorin spoke softly and yet Nariel could hear an almost pleading sound to his deep voice. Slowly she shook her head.

"There's always a choice, Thorin," Nariel said looking between the two dwarves. She saw Thorin glare at her while Balin merely nodded.

"Then we're with you, laddie. We will see it done," Balin clapped a hand on Thorin's shoulder. Thorin smiled at the older dwarf and did the same to him.

Meanwhile, all the other dwarves had gathered in front of the fire to smoke their pipes. Nariel joined them but she sat in a darker corner with no pipe to speak of. Gandalf was sitting nearby while Bilbo was still in his room. One dwarf began humming and soon they all joined in. Thorin begins singing but Nariel joins him. He sends her a look across the room, this one made of uncertainty and surprise. She could have sworn that she saw a hint of a smile in his eyes but it vanished as the others slowly stood and joined in the song.

Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To find our long-forgotten gold

The pines were roaring on the height

The winds were moaning in the night

The fire was red, it flaming spread

The trees like torches blazed with light

And with that the song ended. It was a far cry from the cheerful one Nariel had heard earlier. They one that had just been sung was sad. It talked of losing one's home. Of fires spreading. Of loss in general. But it also talked of the slightly happy note of reclaiming one's home.

Slowly the dwarves dispersed around the room and settled down to sleep. The few like Thorin, Balin, and Gandalf got the few guestrooms the Hobbit hole had. Nariel looked around the room to see that even if she wanted to lay down, she would not have the room to do so unless she wanted to knee a dwarf in the back or kick one in the face.

Shrugging to herself for the millionth time that night, Nariel headed outside and climbed one of the trees that stood in the yard. Surprisingly, it was a comfortable tree. Well, it was more comfortable than some she had spent the night in. Settling back into the branches, Nariel stared up at the stars.

When she had been a little girl, she'd imagined she could reach out in touch them. The stars were often her home away from the world she lived in, away from the problems she had in her current world. But they were also beautiful. She could never figure out why she thought so, but she admired them every single night she could.

Fili, who had seen Nariel walk out, had followed the girl outside. The cool air hit him and it caused him to pull his coat tighter around him. He then cast his eyes about for the girl he had followed but could not see her. Hearing something shift in the trees, Fili's gaze shot up towards the tree above him and there she was.

"You know there are more comfortable places than a tree," Fili said hoping he didn't startle the girl and cause her to fall. Nariel turned her head a little to look down at him and smiled her first bright smile of the evening.

"Well, Master dwarf, there aren't always beds around for one to enjoy. So one must learn to make do with what they can," Nariel told him and turned back towards the bright sky. She could feel herself smile as she heard the rustle of leaves and the creak of the branches that indicated Fili was joining her among the branches.

"Why did you have to?'' Fili asked her. It was an innocent enough question.

"Well, that's a long story. But with the sort of lifestyle I chose, you have to learn," Nariel told him. She made a mental note not to sound so much like Gandalf when she'd answer questions from these dwarves.

"And what lifestyle is that?" Fili questioned, he too turning his gaze towards the sky.

"The lifestyle of one who has left home and not returned for a long time so she can help others in need," Nariel answered him.

They continued conversing like this for a long while. Meanwhile, Kili was watching them from the living room window. It always made him mad that the girls always fell for his elder brother. Now this one was different, but he could tell that she too was falling for him. And he didn't know why but that hurt him. With hurt filled eyes, he slowly pulled away from the window and laid back down. But as he did so, he was mentally cursing himself. It was he that should have gotten up automatically and followed the girl outside. It was he that should be talking to her right now. It was he that should be doing a lot of things, but he was not.

**I tried to weave a few more things into this chapter than the previous ones. Including Nariel. Anyways, I hope you iiked it and will leave a review for me.**


	8. Some Things Are Revealed

_Last time:_

_They continued conversing like this for a long while. Meanwhile, Kili was watching them from the living room window. It always made him mad that the girls always fell for his elder brother. Now this one was different, but he could tell that she too was falling for him. And he didn't know why but that hurt him. With hurt filled eyes, he slowly pulled away from the window and laid back down. But as he did so, he was mentally cursing himself. It was he that should have gotten up automatically and followed the girl outside. It was he that should be talking to her right now. It was he that should be doing a lot of things, but he was not._

….

They awoke early the next morning. The dwarves anyways and they all packed their things. A few headed outside and stared at the girl that had fallen asleep on her horse as she waited for them to get ready. Nariel had taken it upon herself to stay up the night and watch over the house and its occupants. Fili and Bofur couldn't help but smile at the sight. Here was the girl that had conveyed so much strength, withstood multiple glares from Dwalin, had even interrupted a conversation of Thorin's, and yet she looked like a peaceful child as she tried to stop herself from nodding off atop her horse.

Bofur walked over to her and gently pulled on her leg. The result? Nariel was now lying on top of Bofur and more awake than when she had been on the horse. The other result? Bofur had nearly gotten killed because Nariel pulled a dagger on him. When she realized it was just him, Nariel put her dagger back and remounted the horse. Of course she ignored the glares that a few of the company members were giving her.

"I suggest next time you want to try that, Master Bofur, that you make sure I am completely asleep. Not half awake," Nariel said giving him a small, slightly mischievous smile. Bofur nodded so quickly his hat ended up falling off of his head. Hurriedly he picked it up and mounted his pony.

The company sat there for a little longer to see if Bilbo would join them. In that time Gandalf joined them with a grim look on his face. After a little longer, Thorin ordered the company to start moving, they were going to leave without the Hobbit. On the short way from the Hobbit hole to the woods, the company began to bet on whether or not Bilbo would actually come. Of course most bet he wouldn't but there was a few, like Nariel and Gandalf, that bet he would. Just as they entered the trees, Nariel fell towards the back of the group with Gandalf.

"Do you think he will come, Gandalf?" Nariel asked the Wizard. To this question she got a raised bushy eyebrow.

"And what makes you think I don't think he will?" Gandalf asked her, his question more of a riddle than an actual question.

"I didn't say that. I was merely asking if you think he will," Nariel replied.

"I think he will. He is a Took after all," Gandalf said as if that would be the one thing to prove him right. Nariel nodded and fell silent as the small group rode further into the trees.

After an hour more, Nariel turned in her saddle and looked behind her. She thought she'd heard someone shouting. Quickly grabbing Fili's reigns, she stopped him and pointed in the direction from which they had come.

"Did you hear something?" Nariel asked him. Fili frowned for a moment then strained his ears to see if he could hear anything. After a minute, he shook his head slowly.

"Sorry but I don't hear a thing," Fili told her. Nariel nodded frowning slightly. She was sure she had heard something.

Nariel forced her horse to stay where they were, the rest of the group going ahead of them. She heard Thorin say something about keeping up with the rest of the group but she ignored him. The shouts she had heard earlier were getting louder. And this time they were being accompanied by the sound of feet!

"Wait!" Nariel called out as she spotted Bilbo running towards them and yelling the same thing she had just shouted out. She heard some of the dwarves calling "Whoa!' in order to get their ponies to stop. Nariel watched as Bilbo kept getting closer and then finally handed the contract to Balin panting.

"I signed it," Bilbo gasped. Balin looked the contract over then gave the young Hobbit a warm smile.

"Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield," Balin said and Bilbo smiled brightly. Nariel couldn't help but let out a smile as she listened to the dwarves cheer. That smile quickly turned into a frown though as she noticed the unimpressed look on Thorin's face. Was there no way to please that dwarf?

"Give him a pony," Thorin ordered gruffly and Bilbo immediately began refusing.

"No-no-no. There's no need for that. I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I've done my fair share of walking holidays. I've even gotten as far as Frogmorton once," Bilbo rambled on until Kili and Fili tugged him up and set him on a pony.

All this while, Nariel had to keep from laughing. Bilbo was riding the pony and looking quite uncomfortable as it tosses its head. The dwarves started passing bags of money back and forth as Oin told Nori to pay up. Traveling with this group already was interesting.

"What is all that about?" Bilbo asked innocently. Nariel shrugged from her position as she rode beside Gandalf.

"They took wagers on whether or not you would actually show up. Most bet that you wouldn't," Nariel told him quietly.

"What did you two think?" Bilbo questioned. Nariel and Gandalf shared a look then smiled at Bilbo.

"Hmmm," Gandalf hummed quietly. Both Nariel and Gandalf catch bags of money in midair and put them in their bags.

"My dear fellow we never doubted you for a minute," Gandalf told the Hobbit smiling softly.

"Oh all this horse hair, I'm having a reaction," Bilbo said after sneezing. He then tries to search for his handkerchief but when he can't find it, he looks up in shock. "Wait, stop! Stop! We have to turn around."

"What on earth is the matter?" Nariel asked him annoyed. Bilbo gave her a look.

"I forgot my handkerchief," Bilbo answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Bofur tore a strip of clothing of his clothes and tossed it back to the Hobbit.

"There use that!" Bofur called back to him and the dwarves start laughing as they continue on. Bilbo looks down at the strip in disgust and Nariel offered him a smile.

"You'll have to manage without pocket handkerchiefs and a good many other things, Bilbo Baggins, before we reach our journey's end," Nariel spoke then rode up to ride between Fili and Kili.

"You were born to the rolling hills and small rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you. The world is ahead," Gandalf spoke and continued riding. Bilbo looked back up at Nariel who seemed to be in a deep conversation with Fili and Kili.

"What's her story?" Bilbo asked the wizard. Gandalf looked between the Hobbit and the young woman before them.

"She left her home to pursue a life in helping others, those that are in need. She believed people deserved to be helped much more than she did," Gandalf answered then shut up not giving much more than that.

Meanwhile, Nariel was desperately trying to ignore the stares she was getting from Kili. Fili had decided to ride up next to Thorin for awhile so she was left alone with his younger brother. Whenever she would risk a glance at him, she could tell he wanted to ask her something. It didn't take too long for him to ask her what was on his mind.

"What did you and Fili talk about last night?" Kili blurted out before he could actually stop himself. He noticed the shocked look he got from her and felt a bit guilty about asking.

"He told me there were more comfortable places to spend the night in than a tree. I told him that one learns to make do with what they have when they have the kind of life I do," Nariel told him and Kili nodded.

"Why do you have the life you do?" Kili asked out of curiosity. Lachiel glanced at him then looked towards the trees. There was a bad feeling building in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't sure what it was but it was evidently there.

"I chose the life I have because I believe that some can't fight for themselves and what they need. I do it for them instead," Nariel answered him quickly. She shushed him as he opened his mouth to ask her something else as she stared intently at the trees. There was something wrong.

She heard it before she saw it. Something was whistling through the air at an alarming rate. But she couldn't distinguish which direction it was actually coming from. Before she knew it there was a second object whistling through the air and the first hit her in the side. Looking down she saw it was an arrow. She looked back up as she pulled the arrow out. None of the dwarves had noticed yet. Before the second arrow could hit her, Nariel jumped from the saddle and rolled up onto her feet with her bow in her hands. She shot an arrow into the trees but was unable to figure out if it hit anything. She stayed on the balls of her feet a moment longer before standing up. Whatever had been in the trees, she had either hit it or it had run after hitting her.

Nariel turned back towards the trail to see every member of the Company stopped and looking at her. She ignored some of the glares that were being shot in her direction as she slowly made her way back to her horse. Her head turned as she heard more noise to her left only to see Oin trying to get down from his pony. She waved him off and managed to mount her horse again.

"I'm fine, Oin. It's nothing to worry about," Nariel told him to which the dwarf nodded. Thorin was the next one that spoke.

"I knew you should have stayed behind. I don't need to lose any of the members of this company because they want to protect you or we're getting attacked by someone that just wants you," Thorin grumbled. Many of the dwarves nodded but Fili and Kili were looking over at her with concern. Nariel looked down and found a red blossom had bloomed on the side of her tunic. She merely shrugged and started riding. It took her a few moments to realize that the two youngest brothers were staring at me still.

"I'm fine. It just pierced my skin a little. No big deal," Nariel said then fell back to ride next to Gandalf.

….

Nariel helps the Company set up their makeshift campsite near the edge of a cliff. She can't help but cringe as Gloin snores next to her. She was just about to try and fall asleep again, as she was very tired and her wound wasn't helping any, when she noticed Bilbo walking around. Slowly she sits up and notices that many of the other dwarves are asleep despite Gloin's snoring. However there were a few that were awake such as Gandalf, Fili, and Kili. Nariel turn her attention back to Bilbo just in time to see him feed Myrtle an apple and whisper to her.

A scream sounds on the air that makes everybody's head shoot up, those that were awake that is.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked, evident fear in his eyes.

"Orcs," Kili said and no sooner than the words had finished leaving his lips had another scream sounded and Thorin awoke.

"Orcs?" Bilbo inquired. He had no idea if there really was such a creature or if there was what it actually was.

"Throat cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them," Fili said in a quiet voice.

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone is asleep. Quick, quiet, no screams; just lots of blood," Kili whispered, his eyes wide to convey fright. Bilbo looked away as the two brothers shared a look and began laughing.

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?!" Thorin thundered after getting to his feet. He walked to the edge of the cliff and looked out over the valley. Nariel had gotten to her feet to stand by the two brothers. She watched as Balin moved to stand on their other side.

"We didn't mean anything by it," Kili said looking down at his feet ashamed.

"No you didn't. You know nothing of this world," Nariel whispered bitterly before she could stop herself.

"Don't mind him, laddie," Balin began after giving Nariel a bit of a cold look," Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had gotten there first."

"Moria had been taken by legions of orcs lead by the most vile of all their race: Azog the Defiler. The giant Gundabad orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King."

"Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing , taken prisoner or killed, they didn't know They were leaderless. Death and defeat were upon them," Nariel said looking up at Balin.

"That's when I saw him. A young dwarf prince facing down the pale Orc," Balin continued giving a slight nod towards Nariel.

"He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent and wielding nothing more than an oaken branch as a shield. Azog the Defiler learnt that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken.

"Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived," Balin said pausing and looking up at the sky as if remembering that terrible day, "And I thought to myself then , there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King."

Nariel noted the tears welling up in Balin's eyes and laid a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. After he gave her a weak smile, Nariel looked up to see that Thorin had turned away from the cliff and walked towards the fire.

"But the pale Orc? What happened to him?" Bilbo asked after having listened to Balin's story.

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago," Thorin growled and went back to the cliff.

"But what is your problem with orcs, Nariel?" Bilbo asked the young woman. Her head snapped in his direction and gave him a murderous glare before turning to look at Gandalf who nodded.

"I had been staying in this village, thinking I could rest for just a bit and move on to the next place that needed my help. This was not the case. I ended up staying there for three years. I'd become friends with a man named Evreth and we were quite close. Anyways, I had left the village to go hunt in the woods. While I was gone the village was attacked and everyone killed. I was angry and I tracked them for as long as I could. Finally I lost them but I hated them because they'd destroyed the home I had away from home. I suspected that these orcs didn't attack on their own but were sent," Nariel spoke quickly and quietly. She blinked to clear her eyes and looked around her to see that everyone had been staring at her as she had talked.

"This Evreth, did you like him?" Bofur asked her. The glare she'd sent towards Bilbo was now directed towards Bofur.

"He was my best friend. Of course I liked him," Nariel quipped as she walked to her spot and laid down. She closed her eyes and tried to block everyone out.

**I decided to share an aspect of Nariel's past with y'all. Hope you enjoyed it. **

_**To Victor, that's my little secret for now. It'll come up in future chapter. All you have to do is wait :)**_


	9. Rain and Wizards

_**Sorry if this chapter is a bit short. i was doing it in the middle of class so I had to rush. Enjoy**_

_Last time:_

_"This Evreth, did you like him?" Bofur asked her. The glare she'd sent towards Bilbo was now directed towards Bofur._

_"He was my best friend. Of course I liked him," Nariel quipped as she walked to her spot and laid down. She closed her eyes and tried to block everyone out._

….

The Company had been riding through the forest for a few hours. And it had decided to start raining as soon as they'd started out. They were all drenched to the bone and cold. The dwarves decided to start complaining about the weather, but Nariel just sat on the back of her horse silent.

"Mr. Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?" Dori finally called out.

"It is raining, Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard," Gandalf replied cooly.

"Are there any?" Bilbo asked.

"What? Other wizards?" Nariel asked for her wizard friend.

"Yes, other wizards," Bilbo nodded slightly. Nariel looked up at Gandalf who just shrugged.

"There are five of them," Nariel began to say.

"The greatest of our order is Saurman the White. Then there are the two Blue Wizards. You know, I've quite forgotten their names," Gandalf admitted.

"And who is the fifth?" Bilbo asked, a curious look on his face.

"That would be Radagast the Brown," Nariel told him. Not for the first time on the journey so far Nariel received looks from the dwarves, ones of surprise and confusion.

"Is he a great Wizard or is he more like you, Gandalf?" Bilbo inquired. Nariel had to stifle a laugh as an offended look came over the Grey wizard's face.

"I think he is a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers company of animals to others," Gandalf started to say.

"He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East. And a good thing too, for always Evil will look to find a foothold in this world," Nariel finished. Not for the first time Bilbo shook his head.

"Have I ever told you two that it is weird that you two finish each other's sentences?" Bilbo asked quietly.

"Once or twice," Nariel admitted smiling a little bit.

**Hope y'all enjoyed this small chapter. As I said I was rushed so...****  
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	10. Camping and Missing Ponies

**Hopefully this chapter is a little better. I wasn't quite so rushed with it. I hope you all enjoy it**

_Last time:_

_"Have I ever told you two that it is weird that you two finish each other's sentences?" Bilbo asked quietly._

_"Once or twice," Nariel admitted smiling a little bit._

…..

The Company trudged on through the woods. The rain had stopped hours ago, and the dwarves had cheered up a bit. Nariel had to explain yet again how long she had known Gandalf to the dwarves. And again she had only given a vague answer. Since the journey began, it seemed to Nariel that the dwarves had relaxed around her. Dwalin still glared at her as did Thorin but overall they didn't seem to mind her company anymore. As they came up on an old farmhouse that was in ruins, Nariel felt uneasy. There was something about this place. Something bad had happened here. She was broken out of her reverie by the sound of Thorin's voice.

"We'll camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them," Thorin ordered. Meanwhile, Gandalf had walked up into the ruins of the old farmhouse and was looking around it.

"A farmer and his family used to live here," Gandalf spoke quietly.

"Oin, Gloin," came Thorin's voice again as if Gandalf hadn't said a word. Gloin was told to start a fire to which he agreed.

"I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley," Gandalf said to the young dwarf leader.

"I have told you already. I will not go near that place," Thorin said with anger in his voice.

"Why not? The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice," Nariel interjected coming to stand by Gandalf. Thorin leveled her with a murderous glare before speaking again.

"I do not need their advice," Thorin growled.

"We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us," Nariel said calmly despite the glare that was being leveled at her and Gandalf.

"Help? A dragon attacks Erebor, what help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on and did nothing. You two ask me to seek out the very people that betrayed my grandfather and betrayed my father," Thorin nearly yelled. That was one thing Nariel had noted. As they were talking to Thorin, trying to get him to seek help, his voice kept getting louder each time he spoke.

"You are neither of them, Thorin," Nariel told the dwarf before going to join his nephews in making sure the ponies were fine.

"I did not give you that map and key for you to hold onto the past," Gandalf said looking down at the dwarf.

"I did not know that they were yours to keep," Thorin muttered, Gandalf shook his head and stormed away from the stubborn dwarf prince.

"Everything alright? Gandalf, where are you going?!" Bilbo called out to the retreating back of the wizard.

"To seek the company of one of the only ones around here who's got any sense," Gandalf yelled back.

"Who's that?" Bilbo asked confused. He knew that Gandalf and Nariel seemed to know each other pretty well, but the girl in question was over by Fili and Kili. So it couldn't be her company Gandalf was seeking.

"Myself, Mr. Baggins! I've had enough of dwarves for one day," Gandalf called then disappeared into the trees. Thorin watched him go but then told Bombur to get started on making supper.

"Will he be back?" Bilbo asked both Nariel and Balin. Balin looked unsure while Nariel merely shrugged her shoulders.

Hours later the soup is made and everyone is being served some, by Bofur, to enjoy.

"He's been a long time," Bilbo said as he stood next to Bofur.

"Who?" Bofur asked absentmindedly as he handed a bowl of soup to Dori.

"Gandalf. Nariel won't tell me where he's gone," Bilbo said quietly. Bofur handed out a couple more bowls of soup before answering the young Hobbit.

"He's a wizard! He does as he chooses. As for Nariel, well, that lass is a mystery," Bofur started to say then paused as if thinking about something before shaking his head and dishing out three more bowls of soup. "Here do us a favor and take these to the lass and lads."

Bilbo takes the three bowls, somehow managing to balance the three on one arm, and went out into the dark to where the three stood watching the ponies. Bilbo tries to hand the bowls of soup to them, but they don't take them. Instead they're staring out into the darkness.

"What's the matter?" Bilbo asked them, a tiny bit concerned.

"We're supposed to be looking out for the ponies," Nariel whispered not taking her eyes away from whatever she was staring at to look at Bilbo.

"Only we've encountered a slight problem," Fili added, he too stayed staring into the darkness.

"We had sixteen," Kili threw in, him being the only one to look at Bilbo as he answered.

"Now we only have fourteen," Nariel ended and looked down at the Hobbit. Her eyes automatically scanning the ponies to try and find which ones were missing.

"Daisy and Bungo are missing," Kili informed the three of them.

"Well, that's not good. Shouldn't we tell Thorin?" Bilbo asked, by now a bit nervous.

"Uhh, no. Let's not worry him," Fili began.

Nariel nodded and was thinking that Fili was actually smart. Why would they want to tell his uncle that they'd lost two ponies? Nariel mentally shrugged to herself. Thorin would probably find a way to blame the loss of the ponies on her.

**Thorin really would try to blame it all on her. Anyways, I should probably not that i do not own any of the characters despite the fact I added that detail into the summary of this story. Again, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review?**


	11. Cowards

**This took a little while to do. But school finally got to me again...Hope y'all enjoy...**

_Last time:_

_Nariel nodded and was thinking that Fili was actually smart. Why would they want to tell his uncle that they'd lost two ponies? Nariel mentally shrugged to herself. Thorin would probably find a way to blame the loss of the ponies on her._

…...

"As our official burglar, we thought you might look into it," Fili finished saying. At this Nariel turned her head and glared at him. What was he thinking?! She watched as Bilbo looked around to get a sense of their surroundings. At the same time, he probably did, Nariel spotted recently uprooted trees laying on the ground.

"Something big uprooted these trees," Nariel said before Bilbo could. She noticed the Hobbit gave her a small smile in thanks and relief to which she just nodded as acknowledgement.

"That was our thinking," Kili said nodding. Nariel couldn't help but roll her eyes at that response.

"If that was what you were thinking, then why did you ask, no tell, Bilbo he should look into it?" Nariel questioned the two dwarf princes. They both stared at her for a moment unsure of how to answer.

"Hey, there's a light. Over here. Stay down," Fili said. The four of them quietly run through the forest and hide behind a log. Once there, Fili put a hand on Nariel's back as he warned them to stay down. Nariel rolled her eyes but otherwise did not make any comment about his hand being on her back. As Nariel's eyes adjusted to the new light of being deeper in the trees, she slowly realized that the light before them was not just any light, it was a fire.

"Guys, that's a fire," Nariel found herself saying out loud no sooner than the thought had entered her mind. Harsh laughter then sounded from the direction the fire was in.

"What is it?" Bilbo asked quietly. Nariel shared a look with Kili and nodded slightly.

"Trolls," Kili told the Hobbit. Nariel shakes off Fili's hand then starts running towards the fire. Fili and Kili stare after her for a moment before getting up and following. Bilbo starts to follow them, but then turns back to grab the three bowls of soup he had set on the log. No sooner than Bilbo'd caught up to them the three ducked behind trees as a massive mountain troll passes them with one pony under each arm.

"He's got Myrtle and Minty! I think they're going to eat them. We've got to do something," Bilbo said looking at the three before him. Kili took the bowls of soup from him and began nodding as he handed one to his brother then Nariel.

"Yes, you should. Mountain trolls are slow and stupid. And you're so small….." Kili's voice trailed off a little. Bilbo shook his head vigorously and objected. "They'd never see you."

"No, no, no," Bilbo continued saying.

"It's perfectly safe. We'll be right behind you," Kili said mainly just to encourage Bilbo.

"If you run into trouble hoot twice like a barn owl and once like a brown owl," Fili ordered and with that the brothers pushed Bilbo towards the fire. As the Hobbit was muttering the instructions to himself, and getting them mixed up, Fili and Kili pulled Nariel back the way they'd come. When they got back to the first log they'd hidden behind, the two brothers sat down and began eating their soup. Nariel stood watching them for a minute and slowly began to shake her head.

"What are you two doing?" Nariel asked them as she set her bowl on the log. The two brothers stopped conversing about how good the soup was and stared at her.

"We're eating our supper," Kili said and took another bite. His brother nodded in confirmation.

"It is very good too," Fili said before noticing that Nariel's bowl wasn't in her hands, "You're not going to eat yours?"

"No, I'm not," Nariel replied. Kili's head shot up and he looked at Nariel with concern filled eyes.

"Why not?" Kili asked her before his brother could.

"Because I'm going to help Bilbo," Nariel responded and started to walk away from them.

"Why? He'll be fine," Fili said standing. Nariel whirled around and sent one of her more famous deadly glares at him.

"Why because he's so small? Think about it for a second, Fili. He's just one little Hobbit. There's three of those mountain trolls. Not exactly the greatest odds," Nariel spat and smiled grimly when she saw Fili cringe a little bit. Nariel turned her back to them again and started walking. This time the two dwarves followed her.

"Nariel, there's no need to rush into this, " Kili asked her. Within seconds, Nariel had both the brothers pinned to the nearest trees.

"I may be a girl, but that does not mean I am fragile and don't know what I am doing," Nariel hissed into their faces,"How are you two worthy of being part of the line of Durin? I don't see it. You're cowards."

**Again I hope you all enjoyed this...**


	12. Fighting against trolls

**This chapter might be kind of weird. It wasn't my best. But you might think differently. Read on and enjoy...:)**

_Last time:_

_"I may be a girl, but that does not mean I am fragile and don't know what I am doing," Nariel hissed into their faces,"How are you two worthy of being part of the line of Durin? I don't see it. You're cowards."_

…...

Nariel released them and pulled out her bow and an arrow before charging into the trees. Both Fili and Kili looked down at their feet for a moment in shame. Nariel was right about them. They were being cowards. Sharing a look, the brothers nodded and drawing their own swords, charged into the trees after Nariel.

Nariel had made it to the edge of the clearing only mere minutes after she'd left Fili and Kili. Her eyes quickly scanned the area and finds that Bilbo has just reached the pen where the ponies were being held as tries to untie the rope there. Her muscles tensed when the troll named William turned towards Bilbo. She was sure the Hobbit would be seen, but she relaxed when William turned away from him. Then when she sees the Hobbit moving towards the same troll, she can't help but find herself wondering what he was thinking. Nariel keeps an eye on the Hobbit as he gets behind William to attempt getting whatever had caught his eye, ready to jump out and distract the trolls and keep the attention off of Bilbo. She ignores the other trolls' conversation as she notices Bilbo getting grabbed by William and covered in snot. Immediately, Nariel rushes out of the bushes and trains an arrow on William.

"Let him go," Nariel hisses, switching her aim from one troll to the next so none of them would dare to move. William dropped the Hobbit and made a move to grab her but Nariel danced out of the way. She let the arrow loose into the troll's hand causing him to fall back squealing. Her eyes flicked down towards the ground for a moment to see Bilbo crawling backwards and away from the Hobbit. Unfortunately this allowed Tom to get a hold of her.

"What are you?" Tom questioned, his face dangerously close to her own.

"I'm no one special, you troll," Nariel spat into Tom's face. Apparently the mountain troll didn't like this because his grip on her tightened causing her to wince. Suddenly both Fili and Kili rush out of the trees brandishing their weapons.

"Drop her," Kili growled staring at the trolls. Bilbo meanwhile had made it back to stand behind them.

"You what?" Tom asked confused.

"He said drop her," Fili repeated, his eyes trailing across the three trolls.

Tom took one look at Nariel and the two dwarves before tossing Nariel towards them. Nariel flew through the air, arms and legs flailing and landed on someone. She looked down to see she had landed on top of Kili. She blushed as she got to her feet then pulled him up too. Shock ran through her as the rest of the Company bursts through the trees with their weapons brandished and began to fight. She watched for a moment marvelling at how the dwarves moved as they fought. However, she was quickly broken out of her reverie as one of the trolls picked up Bofur and was starting to squeeze him. Without really thinking about it, she dove towards where her bow was laying on the ground, nocked an arrow, and shot it into the troll's hand.

The troll released Bofur but unfortunately trolls are very tall and it was not a short distance to the ground. Again without thinking, Nariel quickly moved in front of Bofur as he was falling, catching him. The impact however caused her to fall backwards with hurried apologies from Bofur as he quickly got to his feet. Nariel waved her hand at him telling him it was fine as she rejoined the fight.

As she was fighting, Nariel wondered where Bilbo had gotten to. She hadn't seen him at all since he'd stood behind Fili as Tom was holding her in the air. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught some movement. Quickly she danced away from a troll foot that had struck out at her and glanced in the direction she had seen the movement going in. It was Bilbo! He had somehow gotten ahold of a large knife and was now trying to cut the rope that held the ponies inside the corral. She smiled and couldn't help remembering Gandalf's words about how Hobbits were quick on their feet.

She turned her head away from Bilbo for a moment to see how the others were faring. Fili and Kili were as always working as a team. Dwalin looked kind of scary as he wielded his axes. Balin was surprisingly quick on his feet as was Nori. Dori seemed be keeping Ori close just as Gloin was doing with Oin so they seemed to be doing fine. And Bombur seemed to be having fun jumping on the trolls' feet to make them squeal and shriek in pain. Bofur was keeping close to Bifur to make the latter dwarf would be okay. It surprised Nariel how well Bofur could fight. He didn't seem to be the type of dwarf that would. Lastly, her eyes found Thorin who was having no trouble at all as he helped his fellow dwarves.

Once again movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention so she turned her head. Bilbo had gotten the ponies free but Tom had spotted him. Nariel ran towards Bilbo and just managed to push him towards the trees as Tom's hand closed around her midsection. She struggled within his grasp but soon realized it wasn't helping any. She gritted her teeth in pain as one of the other trolls grabbed her right arm and leg.

"Nariel!" Kili cried and started to move towards her. Thorin looked up as his nephew shouted and saw that the girl had gotten caught. All the other dwarves stopped fighting and followed their gazes to see Nariel being held close to a fire between two of the trolls.

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip hers off," Tom said a little too cheerfully. To emphasise his point he gave Nariel's arm a short tug which caused her to squeeze her eyes shut for a moment in pain.

Thorin stared up at Nariel with frustration before eventually throwing his sword to the ground. The other dwarves followed suit even though Kili hesitated for a moment before throwing down his own weapon. But it was the fact that Thorin had even laid down his weapon at all that surprised Nariel.

**As I said you guys might think differently of the way I wrote this chapter, but to me it didn't seem to be my best work. Hope you enjoyed it though. Please leave a review and tell me what you thought about it.**


	13. Of the Proper Cooking of Dwarves

**This is one of my favorite parts of the movie. I hope I didn't ruin it too much. Anyways, read and enjoy and review.**

_Last time:_

_Thorin stared up at Nariel with frustration before eventually throwing his sword to the ground. The other dwarves followed suit even though Kili hesitated for a moment before throwing down his own weapon. But it was the fact that Thorin had even laid down his weapon at all that surprised Nariel._

…..

Nariel watched, from where she was in her sack, the three mountain trolls tie Dwalin, Bofur, Dori, Nori and Ori to a spit over the fire. The rest of the dwarves were tied in a sack like she was and were all lying beside her. She couldn't see Bilbo anywhere but that was a good thing. She had a feeling that the only way they would make it out of this would be because of him.

The bickering mountain trolls broke her out of her pleasant thoughts of escape and as she couldn't determine the best way to make said escape, she decided to listen to the bickering. Maybe she would learn something that would aid in an escape of some sort,

"Don't bother cooking them, let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly," William said from his place beside the fire.

"They need to be sauteed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage," Bert replied as he looked over at his companion.

So they were planning to cook the dwarves. Okay, she could work with this. The dwarves talking in fear was lost to her as she delved into her thoughts for a formation of an idea.

"Never mind the seasoning. We ain't got all night. Dawn ain't far away and I don't fancy being turned into stone," Tom said ignoring Bert's ideas for the proper seasoning of the dwarves. Meanwhile, Nariel finally had an idea because of what Tom had said.

"Wait, you are making a terrible mistake!" Nariel called out as she somehow managed to get to her feet. As she did so, she saw Bilbo sneak out of the woods with the knife he'd taken from the trolls and begin to cut the dwarves loose.

"You can't reason with them, they're half wits," Dori shouted down to her as the spit made another rotation.

"Half wits? What does that make us?" Nariel could hear Bofur ask as the two of them turned away from her on the spit.

"I, uh, I meant with the….seasoning. You're making a mistake with the seasoning," Nariel said nodding hoping her plan would work.

"What about the seasoning?" Bert asked casting her a sideways glance.

"Have you smelt them? You're going to need something a whole lot stronger than sage before you plate this lot up," Nariel said and ignored the dwarves as they began calling her a traitor.

"What do you know about cooking dwarf?" Tom asked her but before she could think up an answer, Bert interrupted her thought process.

"Shut up and let the small girl talk," Bert said kneeling a little to get a better look at Nariel.

"The secret to cooking dwarf is….." Nariel whispered and allowed her voice to trail off.

"Yes? Come on," Bert urged her.

"The secret is….." Nariel whispered again. She could tell Bert was getting a little frustrated.

"Tell us the secret," Bert said a little louder.

"I'm telling you the secret is….to skin them first!" Nariel stated a little louder than she probably should have. Again Nariel ignored the dwarves as Gloin and Dwalin started threatening her about what they'd do if they'd get their hands on her.

"Tom, get me the filleting knife," Bert ordered holding his hand out behind him, a weird smile on his face.

"What a load of rubbish," Tom said ignoring Bert's request," I've eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff em, I say, boots and all."

Nariel was about to reply to say that Tom was being stupid and the only way to eat these dwarves the proper way was to skin them when she saw Gandalf slipping behind some of the trees that were nearby. She'd never been so glad to see the Wizard, but before she could smile in relief, she forced herself to keep the same expression on her face that she'd been wearing.

"He's right! Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf. Nice and crunchy," William said grabbing Bombur and holding him over his mouth to prepare to eat him.

"Not that one, he's infected!" Bilbo called out, coming to stand next to Nariel. He glanced up at her giving her a quick nod to indicate that he'd untied all the dwarves. Nariel nodded in return and gestured back towards the dwarves. The small exchange hadn't taken that long, either that or it was that subtle, so the three huge mountain trolls didn't see a thing.

"What?" William asked in confusion.

"Yeah…." Nariel trailed off trying to come up with something to say. Luckily Bilbo was there with her.

"He's got worms in his...tubes," Bilbo announced sounding like he was unsure of what he had just said. William threw Bombur back into the pile of dwarves in disgust causing the other dwarves to groan a bit.

"In fact they all have, they're all infested with parasites," Nariel started and was going to continue when Bilbo interjected.

"It's a terrible business, I wouldn't risk it. I really wouldn't," Bilbo finished. He had just finished her sentence. Nariel was going to have to point that out to him when this was all over.

"Parasites? Did she say parasites?" Nariel could hear Oin asking from behind her.

"We don't have parasites! You two have parasites!" Kili yelled. Nariel shook her head hoping the dwarves would realize their plan and be quiet.

"What are you talking about?" came Gloin's unsure response. He couldn't figure out what was happening right now. Then the rest of the dwarves all began to chime in about how they didn't have parasites and how the two of them were fools. Thorin stays silent and slowly begins to realize the plan the two have formed, so he kicks the others to silence them about not having parasites. They understand then all began chiming in again but this time about how they just riddled with parasites.

"I've got parasites as big as me arm," Oin said nodding.

"Mine are the biggest parasites, I've got huge parasites!" Kili exclaimed. Nariel rolled her eyes slightly and shook her head. They didn't have to overdo it.

"What would you have us do then? Let em all go?" Tom asked the two small beings in front of them.

"Well…" both Nariel and Bilbo replied at the same time.

"You think I don't know what you're up to? These little ferrets are taking us for fools!" Tom exclaimed.

"Ferret?" again both Bilbo and Nariel asked at the same time. They were really going to have to talk after this.

"Fools?" Bert asked just as Gandalf appeared on top of a large rock above the clearing.

"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf yelled.

"Who's that?" Bert asked confused.

"No idea," Tom answered.

"Can we eat him too?" William inquired. Gandalf strikes the rock with his staff, splitting it in half, allowing the sunlight behind it to pour into the clearing. When the sunlight touches the trolls' skin, they begin turning into stone amidst loud screams and howls of pain. Within seconds, there are three stone statues of trolls in the clearing. All the dwarves cheer for Gandalf, plus Bilbo and Nariel. Of course, the dwarves on the spit still look uncomfortable.

"Oh, get your foot out of my back!" Dwalin grumbled.

**Again, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I am sure I made a few spelling mistakes though. Please leave a review?**


	14. Of Troll Caves

**In answer to your question, Victor, there's a bit of a reason as to why she is like that and that's the way she's lived her life. I know that is no excuse but she means well. When she treats them that way, it is one of her many ways of showing that she cares. May not seem like it but she does.**

**Hope you all enjoy this chapter. And without further ado...**

_Last time:_

_"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf yelled._

_"Who's that?" Bert asked confused._

_"No idea," Tom answered._

_"Can we eat him too?" William inquired. Gandalf strikes the rock with his staff, splitting it in half, allowing the sunlight behind it to pour into the clearing. When the sunlight touches the trolls' skin, they begin turning into stone amidst loud screams and howls of pain. Within seconds, there are three stone statues of trolls in the clearing. All the dwarves cheer for Gandalf, plus Bilbo and Nariel. Of course, the dwarves on the spit still look uncomfortable._

_"Oh, get your foot out of my back!" Dwalin grumbled._

…

It is morning once it is all over. The dwarves have been freed from the spit and the ones in the sacks are finally able to stand and step out of them, same with Nariel. Gandalf walks to one of the troll statues and thumps it with his staff, with a pleased smile on his face.

"Where did you go, if I may ask?" Thorin said looking up at the Wizard.

"Looking ahead," Gandalf answered.

"What brought you back?" Thorin questioned him.

"Looking behind," Gandalf began before Nariel interrupted.

"You see that's the sort of riddle type nonsense that gets on my nerves, Bofur," Nariel said gesturing towards Gandalf while looking at the dwarf behind her. He nodded and Nariel turned to look at the two in front of her.

"Nariel, a moment please?" Gandalf said nodding towards the other dwarves.

"Oh, right. Of course," Nariel nodded and rejoined the group of dwarves.

"It's a nasty business, looking behind. Still, they're all in one piece," Gandalf finished.

"No thanks to that girl you invited along with us. Or that burglar," Thorin muttered in a normal tone.

"They had the nous to play for time. None of the rest of you thought about that," Gandalf countered. The look on Thorin's face became repentant.

"How do you know her?" Thorin asked the wizard. Gandalf raised an eyebrow in a confused manner.

"Know who?" Gandalf replied. He didn't believe he knew who the dwarf was talking about.

"Nariel. How do you know her? How long have you known her? Who is she? How she know so much about us, about dwarves?" Thorin began rattling off questions that had plagued his mind since Nariel had first asked him about the quest in Bag-End.

"All good questions. But you will have to ask her if you want to know the answers," Gandalf told the young dwarf. Thorin sighed in frustration but nodded anyways. He and Gandalf then examined the statues of the trolls.

"They must have come down from the Ettenmoors," Gandalf said as he looked at them.

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?" Thorin questioned curiously.

"Oh, not for an age, not since darker powers ruled this land," Gandalf said as he and Thorin exchanged meaningful looks," They could not have moved in daylight."

"There must be a cave nearby," Thorin agreed nodding slightly.

….

The company finds a large cave nearby. Of course only after a bit of walking! Slowly they entered it with Thorin going in first and Nariel last. Nariel looked around surprised for the cave was full of treasure the trolls had been hoarding, in piles of gold coins and in caskets. Surprise didn't last long as the smell of the cave reached her nose. As soon as the smell reached the dwarves cough and retch at the pungence.

"Oh, what's that stench?!" Nori exclaimed covering his nose.

"It's a troll hoard," Nariel started but then cut herself off when she covered her own nose again.

"Be careful what you touch," Gandalf added as he lead the way.

"Seems a shame to just leave everything lyin' around. Anyone could take it," Bofur said staring at the treasures around him.

"Agreed. Nori, get a shovel," Gloin said looking over his shoulder to spot the dwarf. While exploring deeper in the cave, Thorin finds two swords and a bow. Both Gandalf and Nariel join him.

"These swords nor this bow were made by any troll," Thorin stated handing one of the swords to Gandalf along with the bow.

"Nor were they made by any smith among men," Gandalf holds the bow in one hand while the other draws the sword out of its sheath a few inches.

"These swords were forged and this bow in Gondolin by the High Elves of the First Age," Gandalf said as he looked the sword over. Thorin quickly realizes they're Elven weapons and begins to put his sword back in disgust.

"You could not wish for a finer blade," Nariel said quickly. Reluctantly, Thorin holds on to the sword and pulls it out a little to take a look at it. Meanwhile, some of the dwarves fill a chest with treasure then bury it in the ground. Dwalin watches them in disgust and shakes his head.

"We're making a long term deposit," Gloin told the dwarf after he noticed the look they were getting directed at them.

"Let's get out of this foul place. Come on, let's go. Bofur, Gloin, Nori!" Thorin orders. The dwarves then make their way out of the cave but Nariel and Gandalf linger behind for a moment. Gandalf hands the Elven bow to Nariel and offers her a warm smile.

"If it was found here with these swords. That means something. This is better than any bow you could ever hope for. Plus it will serve you better than the one you made yourself," Gandalf said quickly. He then turned and started to walk out. Meanwhile, Nariel just stared down at the bow in her hands. How had this one bow ended up in a troll hoard? And how had it survived all these years. Slowly she slung the bow across her back along with the bow she'd made and followed Gandalf outside.

When Gandalf turned to Bilbo, Nariel saw he had acquired something else as he was leaving the cave. She watched as the Grey Wizard handed the Hobbit yet another sword. She shook her head smiling a little and tried her best to ignore the conversation going on between the two.

"I have never used a sword in my life," she heard Bilbo saying. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Gandalf nod just a little.

"And I hope you never have to. But if you do, remember this: True courage is about knowing when to not take a life but when to spare one," Gandalf told him.

Just as he finished speaking Thorin called out to the company," Something's coming!"

"Gandalf…" Bilbo began to say, still staring at the sword.

"Stay together! Arm yourselves! Hurry now," Gandalf ordered urgently. Everyone draws their weapons, rushes off into the woods, and gathers together in the center of a clearing. Moments later Bilbo joins them with his sword drawn.

As they stood there, Nariel could hear yelling in the distance that steadily got louder. This couldn't be good. Slowly, she readjusted her grip on her new bow and kept it aimed forward. As the yelling got closer and Nariel was able to hear it once more, she slowly began to recognize it. Mere seconds after she realized who it must be, a man dressed in brown pulls up short by the Company with his rabbit-drawn sled yelling, "Thieves! Fire! Murder!"

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	15. Radagast

**This may be short, but I hope you enjoy it.**

_Last time:_

As they stood there, Nariel could hear yelling in the distance that steadily got louder. This couldn't be good. Slowly, she readjusted her grip on her new bow and kept it aimed forward. As the yelling got closer and Nariel was able to hear it once more, she slowly began to recognize it. Mere seconds after she realized who it must be, a man dressed in brown pulls up short by the Company with his rabbit-drawn sled yelling, "Thieves! Fire! Murder!"

…...

"Radagast!" Nariel exclaimed smiling and quickly rushed forward to hug the Wizard, "Radagast the Brown. How are you my friend?"

Radagast looked at her and simply shrugged. His eyes seemed to be a bit unfocused. Or maybe that was just Nariel imagining things.

"How are you, Nariel?" Radagast asked her quietly.

"I'm fine. I'm survivng," Nariel replied smiling again and looking over her shoulder at the Company. "I think I've made a few friends."

"Good. You'll need them. And they'll need you. Soon," Radagast said sounding too much like Gandalf for Nariel's taste.

"Ah, Radagast. What on earth are you doing here?" Gandalf questioned his fellow Wizard.

"I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong," Radagast informed him.

"Yes?" Gandalf asks.

Radagast opens his mouth to speak but shuts it. He opens his mouth again but closes it again. To Nariel it seemed he had forgotten what he was going to say.

"Oh, just give me a minute. I had a thought and now I've lost it. It was, it was right there on the tip of my tongue," Radagast said curling up his tongue. "Oh, it's not a thought at all. It's a silly old…"

Nariel caused him to trail off for a moment as she pulled a stick insect out of the Brown Wizard's mouth.

"-stick insect," Radagast finished taking the stick insect into his hand. He and Gandalf then go off to talk privately leaving the dwarves and Bilbo to feel flustered. Nariel watched them speak for a moment then turned back to the dwarves only to find them staring at her.

"What?" Nariel asked them.

"You seem to like adding more mystery to yourself as we go, lass," Bofur said voicing the thought on everyone's mind.

"Yeah, well, I'm a mysterious person all the time. Always have been," Nariel said shrugging.

"Where do you come from? Who are you? How long have you know Gandalf and this new Wizard? How do you know so much about this quest? How do you know so much about dwarves?" Thorin stepped forward and questioning Nariel.

"I know so much about this quest because Gandalf told me. He was the one that convinced me to come. As for the rest of your questions, they'll all be answered in due time, Master Dwarf. I promise," Nariel promised him. Thorin nodded reluctantly and strayed back to the middle of the group, then they all hear a howl in the distance.

"Was that a wolf? Are there….are there wolves out there?" Bilbo inquired nervously.

"Wolves?" Bofur asked shaking his head," No, that is not a wolf."

From behind a nearby crag, a Warg appears leaping into the midst of the company and knocking down one of the dwarves. Thorin delivers a killing strike to it using Orcrist. Another Warg attacks from the other side, Nariel and Kili both shoot arrows into it bringing it down. However, they shared mutual reactions of shock as the Warg got back up. It lunged for Fili but Dwalin was quicker and killed it before it could reach him.

"Warg scouts!" Thorin announces loudly. Nariel nods grimly.

"Which means an Orc pack is not far behind," Nariel said finishing Thorin's thought.

"Orc pack?" Bilbo asked quietly, shaking a little. Nariel knelt down and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You'll be okay. I'll be right there with you," Nariel offered him a small smile and squeezed his shoulder gently before getting up.

"Who did you tell of your quest beyond your kin?" Nariel asked turning to Thorin.

"No one," Thorin replied staring her in the eye. Nariel nodded but Gandalf was not convinced.

"Who did you tell?" Gandalf questioned the dwarven king.

"No one, I swear. What in Durin's name is going on?" Thorin replied a little louder than was necessary.

"You are being hunted," Gandalf answered, his voice sounding grave.

"We have to get out of here," Dwalin said automatically after hearing that.

"We can't. We have no ponies! They bolted," Ori replied looking around the clearing.

"I'll draw them off," Radagast said quickly.

"These are Gundabad Wargs," Gandalf started to say then Nariel jumped in.

"They will outrun you, Radagast," Nariel finishes saying. This just made the Brown Wizard give them both a wide smile.

"And these are Rhosgobel rabbits. I'd like to see them try," Radagast said, the smile not leaving his face.

**Please leave a review?**


	16. Other Things Are Revealed

**I am not totally convinced I did this to the best of my ability, but I hope you all like this chapter. **

_Last time:_

_"I'll draw them off," Radagast said quickly._

_"These are Gundabad Wargs," Gandalf started to say then Nariel jumped in._

_"They will outrun you, Radagast," Nariel finishes saying. This just made the Brown Wizard give them both a wide smile._

_"And these are Rhosgobel rabbits. I'd like to see them try," Radagast said, the smile not leaving his face._

….

Moments later, Radagast shoots out of the woods and the Orc pack that had been searching for the Company rushes after him. Gandalf and Nariel watch from behind a rock until Radagast and the Wargs disappear into the distance.

"Come on!" Gandalf calls back behind him and rushes out from behind the rock and across the plain. The dwarves follow him, Thorin going first then Nariel follows behind them last. In the distance, Radagast is being chased by the Wargs. One of them crashes while trying to catch him. As the Company runs across the plain, they see the Wargs not too far from them, so they hide behind the rocks.

"Stay together," Gandalf orders them.

"Move!" Thorin whispered firmly.

As the Company runs across the rocky terrain again, Radagast drives his sled beneath an overhanging projection of rock. He ducks but the Orc on the Warg behind him gets knocked off. As the chase continues, Thorin stops behind a rock so that he is not seen by the Wargs. Ori starts to run out of the cover, but Nariel quickly grabs him and pulls him back

"Come on! Quick!" Gandalf ordered. The dwarves all begin running again, but Thorin turns to Gandalf.

"Where are you leading us?" Thorin asked the Wizard.

Gandalf doesn't answer. As the Warg scouts chase Radagast, one of them stops and scents the air. The dwarves take cover behind an outcropping of rock. The scout and his Warg appear on top of the outcropping, scenting the air. Thorin looks at Kili and nods. Both Kili and Nariel ready an arrow then step out and shoot the Warg. The Warg and the orc on it fall near the dwarves and the dwarves kill them. The sounds of their fight carry quite far; the other Wargs and Orcs stop chasing Radagast as they hear roars and screams from behind the Warg scouts howl as they stop pursuing Radagast and instead begin pursuing the Company.

"Move! Run!" Gandalf yells. The company runs through a grassy plain with Kili and Nariel lingering behind them shooting down Wargs. He looks around and sees a large rock and disappeared behind it.

"Kili, go!" Nariel told him as Wargs started to close in around them.

"This way! Quickly!" Gandalf calls again. They run for a while longer, then halt in a clearing as they see Wargs on all sides.

"Thorin, there's more coming!" Nariel yelled as she took Kili's hand and started to run towards them.

"Shoot them!" Thorin shouted back at her. Nariel nodded and together her and Kili turned shooting the Wargs and Warg Riders, the two of them managing to kill some of them.

"We're surrounded! Where is Gandalf?!" Fili called with one of his swords already drawn.

"He has abandoned us!" Dwalin growled out.

The dwarves gather close to each other near the rock Gandalf disappeared by. As Yazneg and his Warg approach, Ori shoots a rock at Yazneg with his slingshot, but to no effect. Thorin pulls out his sword as do the other dwarves.

"Hold your ground!" Thorin orders exchanging glances with the other dwarves. Gandalf then pops up from a crack in the rock.

"This way, you fools!" Gandalf called out to them. Thorin turns to see him and nods.

"Come on, move! Quickly, all of you! Go, go!" Thorin called. As the Wargs approach, the dwarves and Bilbo slide into the large crack in the rock and into a cave. Thorin kills a Warg that gets too close while Nariel and Kili shoot others. Inside, Gandalf counts Bilbo and dwarves as they slide into the cave.

"Nine, ten, eleven," Gandalf whispered counting off on his fingers.

"Kili, Nariel, run!" Thorin hollered. Kili stopped shooting but stayed with Nariel too reluctant to leave. Nariel shot another arrow then looked at Kili jerking her head towards the rock.

"Go, I'll keep them from stopping you," Nariel said pushing him towards the rock. Kili nodded slowly and ran back to Thorin. Thorin and Kili jump into the crack. Just as Yazneg and his Wargs reach the crack an Elvish horn sounds. A group of mounted Elves rush into the fray shooting and spearing the Wargs and Orcs. Nariel meanwhile keeps shooting her arrows into the Wargs and Orcs, trying to ignore the things going on around her. The Company listens to the conflict from inside the crack. One of the orcs, shot by an arrow, falls into the cave. Thorin plucks out the arrow and examines its make.

"Elves," Thorin says then lets the arrow fall to the ground. No sooner than he had finished speaking, a scream filled the air.

…

There is a pathway at the end of the cave, leading away.

"I can't see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or no?" Dwalin asks looking back at Thorin.

"Follow it of course," Bofur says.

"I think that would be wise," Gandalf said nodding. The Company begins following the path. At times, the dwarves had difficulty going through it in some areas. The pathway eventually opens out into an open area; there is a valley below, and in that valley is the city of Rivendell.

"The Valley of Imraldis. In the Common Tongue, it is known by another name," Gandalf started.

"Rivendell," Bilbo said nodding slightly, awe evident in his voice.

"Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea," Gandalf finished looking down at his companions.

"This was your plan all along. To seek refuge with our enemy," Thorin said in a hushed voice and looked up at Gandalf.

"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself," Gandalf replied softly.

"You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us," Thorin said casting another glance at the valley below them.

"Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered. If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave all the talking to me," Gandalf nodded slightly after he finished.

The Company walks across a bridge and enters Rivendell. A few elves are seen strolling about. Bilbo gazes in awe at the beauty of the place. The dwarves look uneasy, but they're all a bit saddened by the loss of their companion. A dark-haired elf walks down a flight of stairs and greets them.

"Mithrandir," the elf says smiling a bit.

"Ah, Lindir!" Gandalf exclaimed cheerfully. As Lindir and Gandalf greet each other, the dwarves murmur amongst themselves in distrust. Thorin whispers to Dwalin.

"Stay sharp," Thorin whispers to Dwalin.

"_Lastannem i athrannedh i Vruinen_," Lindir spoke pulling away from Gandalf.

"I must speak with Lord Elrond," Gandalf told the elf.

"My Lord Elrond is not here," Lindir replied softly.

"Not here? Where is he?" Gandalf asked, his face falling.

….

Nariel shot another arrow into the mix of Wargs, Orcs, and Elves. Quickly, she pulled out her last arrow and aimed it at another Warg. But didn't get a chance to shoot it as an Orc arrow went through her shoulder and into her side. Without realizing it, she let out a scream as she fell. The next thing Nariel knew, she woke up screaming as someone pulled the two arrows out of her body and to someone talking.

"Glorfindel, help her up onto your horse. We'll need to get her back to Imraldis for healing," the voice said. That voice sounded familiar to Nariel. Slowly, she pushed herself up and looked around at the people around her until her eyes fell on the person the voice belonged to.

"Ada!" Nariel shouted surprised. Elrond turned around and looked at her.

"Nariel," Elrond responded with a soft smile on his face. He made his way over to her and helped her to her feet with the help of Glorfindel.

….

Suddenly, the Elvish horns from earlier are heard again. The Company turns around and they see a group of armed horsemen approaching along the bridge at a rapid rate.

"Infridi Bekar!" Thorin ordered quickly,"Hold ranks!"

The dwarves bunch together into a tight circle, Bilbo getting pushed into the middle, with their weapons pointed outward. The mounted Elves arrive and ride in circles around the dwarves. Eventually they stop and three elves detach themselves from the others, one of the elves being held up between the other two. The dwarves could feel their eyes widen as they recognized the elf being helped by the other two.

"Nariel!" Fili cried out and went to take a step forward but Thorin held him back. One of the elves, Elrond, says something to Glorfindel, the other elf, and walks over to Gandalf.

"Gandalf," Elrond greets the Grey Wizard calmly. The Wizard smiled and bowed to the elven lord gracefully.

"Lord Elrond. _Mellonnen! Mo evinedh_?" Gandalf asked the elf.

"_Farannem 'lamhoth i udul o charad. Dagannem rim na lant Vedui_," Elrond responded then gives Gandalf a hug.

"Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders. Something, or someone has drawn them near," Elrond continued holding up an Orc sword and the two Orc arrow that had been taken out of Nariel for everyone to see then handed them to Lindir. Meanwhile, Glorfindel helped Nariel move to the steps to sit down, the bleeding having stopped but the pain not having subsided.

"Ah, that may have been us," Gandalf said nodding. Thorin steps forward and Elrond looks at him in recognition.

"Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain," Elrond greeted the dwarf.

"I do not believe we have met," Thorin replied.

"You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the Mountain," Elrond informed the young dwarf.

"Indeed? He made no mention of you," Thorin said with a cold expression.

"_Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin_," Elrond said ignoring the insult by Thorin.

"What is he saying? Does he offer us insult?" Gloin asked gripping his weapon and pushed his way towards the front of the group. The dwarves grow bellicose and grip their weapons uneasily. Nariel laughs and shakes her head despite her pain.

"No, Master Gloin, he's offering you food," Nariel informed the dwarves as Glorfindel helped her to her feet again. The dwarves quickly discuss this amongst themselves.

"Ah well, in that case, lead on," Gloin relented and lowered his weapon. Nariel smiled then Glorfindel guided Nariel inside.

"Where is he taking her?" Bofur asked Elrond, his eyes still on Nariel's retreating form.

"My daughter was injured in the act of buying you time to escape. Glorfindel is guiding her to the healing halls where I will tend to her wounds," Elrond answered the dwarf. Bofur nodded but the concern did not leave his eyes.

"She'll be fine, Bofur," Fili assured him as the other dwarves followed Gandalf inside. Bofur nodded and walked inside with Fili. Thorin watched them go but stayed behind by Elrond.

"Your daughter has much to answer to," Thorin told the elf. Elrond just looked down at him and shrugged.

"She will answer whatever you ask of her in her own time," Elrond said then lead the way inside.

**_Lastannem i athrannedh i Vruinen= We heard you had crossed into the valley, _****_Ada= Father _****_Infridi Bekar= Ready weapons, Mellonnen! Mo evinedh= My friend! Where have you been?!, Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin= Light the fires, bring forth the wine. We must feed our guests_**

**_So some of your questions have been answered. Nariel is Elrond's daughter. She's approximately 2,791 years old. Twenty years younger than Elladan and Elrohir and ninety one years older than Arwen._**

**As I said probably not my best. I hope you all liked this chapter and the beginning of the explanations about Nariel.**


	17. Rivendell (Part one)

(The link for Nariel's dress will be on my profile)

**This may not be my greatest chapter ever. I tried to incorporate a lot of questions about Nariel and a lot of the dwarves. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

_Last time:_

_"Where is he taking her?" Bofur asked Elrond, his eyes still on Nariel's retreating form._

_"My daughter was injured in the act of buying you time to escape. Glorfindel is guiding her to the healing halls where I will tend to her wounds," Elrond answered the dwarf. Bofur nodded but the concern did not leave his eyes._

_"She'll be fine, Bofur," Fili assured him as the other dwarves followed Gandalf inside. Bofur nodded and walked inside with Fili. Thorin watched them go but stayed behind by Elrond._

_"Your daughter has much to answer to," Thorin told the elf. Elrond just looked down at him and shrugged._

_"She will answer whatever you ask of her in her own time," Elrond said then lead the way inside._

….

The dwarves are sitting around tables in the Elven court eating while Nariel is in the Healing Halls. However, the dwarves are not very appreciative of the Elves' vegetables.

"Try it. Just a mouthful," Dori was trying to urge Ori.

"I don't like green food," Ori replies just as Dwalin looks through a bowl of greens.

"Where's the meat?" Dwalin asks as soon as he is done inspecting the bowl. Oin holds up one of the many greens on his fork and looks at it in disgust.

"Have they got any chips?" Ori asks leaning forward and looks down the table.

Meanwhile in the Healing Halls, Nariel is doing her best to not scream or cry as Elrond heals her wounds. It was a long, tedious, and painful process but after an hour it was all over. Elrond bandaged his daughter's injuries then helped her to sit up.

"When I was hoping that you would come home, this was not the way I expected you to be doing it," Elrond said with a sad smile on his face.

"It wasn't exactly the way I had planned it either, Ada, but you know me. Trouble tends to follow me," Nariel responded shrugging her shoulders. Elrond nodded only slightly.

"Why are you traveling with dwarves?" the elven lord asked Nariel. Nariel rolled her eyes as she swing her legs over the bed then stood.

"I chose to do so after Gandalf asked me for my help," Nariel replied before leaving the hall and made her way to her room. Once she was inside, she stayed by the door and looked the room over. Not much had changed since she'd left. The double doors still opened out onto a balcony that overlooked the valley. Her bed still occupied one wall while the other was occupied by her wardrobe, desk, and hooks where she would hang her bow when not using it. The only things that had changed in the whole room was the color of the curtains around her bed and the amount of dust that had collected over everything.

Her eyes scanned over the room again before she made her way over to the wardrobe. Nariel opened it and decided that for the first time in a long time she would wear a dress. After a few minutes of debating, she finally picked one out. She made sure to change slowly so as not to irritate her wounds too much. When she was finally ready, she left her room and made her way to where the dwarves were eating.

Nariel arrives just as her father and Gandalf enter the courtyard and an elf maiden begins playing her flute. She couldn't help but let a small smile surface as she watched Oin stuff a napkin into his hearing trumpet then smile when he could no longer hear the noise coming from the flute. Taking a deep breath, Nariel walked over to them and took a seat in between Fili and Kili. For a moments, it's all Nariel could do not to get back up and run out of the dining hall as all the dwarves stared at her. Finally, Fili broke the silence.

"Are you alright? You seemed to be in a lot of pain when you got back," Fili noted, his eyes looking her over for any further signs of injury.

"I'm fine, Fili. My father healed me," Nariel told him and offered him a small smile.

"So it's true? You're an elf?" Kili asked looking up at her. Nariel looked around at the other dwarves quickly noticing that Thorin's eyes had immediately moved to her as soon as his nephew had voiced his question. Slowly Nariel nodded.

"Half Elven, yes," Nariel replied trying her best to ignore the stares she was getting.

"So how old are you?" Bofur inquired quietly but out of curiosity.

"You know it's rude to ask a woman her age, Master Bofur," Nariel teased the dwarf making him blush but continued," I'm 2,791." A few more moments of silence fell as the dwarves processed this.

"But what you said in Bag-End to Dwalin…" Dori trailed off as Nariel turned to look at him.

"Yes, I remember telling Dwalin that despite not being around as quite as long as him I still knew what I was doing in a fight," Nariel recalled nodding to herself slightly.

"Why did you say that?" Gloin questioned her.

"I knew of the grudges you bore against Elves. I needed you all to believe that I wasn't one," Nariel informed him.

"Why?" Oin immediately asked her.

"It was the only way I'd be able to help you," Nariel responded. Her head was by now swirling with all sorts of answers to all sorts of questions.

"So that's why you and Balin were telling that story together on the cliff that night. Of the battle of Moria. Did you hear it from someone?" Bofur asked translating Bifur's question. Nariel shook her head slowly.

"No, I did not hear the story from someone. I knew what happened because I was there. Balin and I," Nariel paused looking at the older dwarf," We fought side by side a few times during that battle."

"Aye, that we did," Balin confirmed nodding, "But how do you know so much about us otherwise?"

"As I told Fili that night outside of Bag-End one with my lifestyle must learn to adapt. I learned about your culture and a good many other things by conversing with your people and befriending some of your kings. That's also another reason I knew so much about this quest or more accurately about the map," Nariel replied resting her arms on the table. She cast a glance at Thorin to see how he was reacting to all of this. So far it seemed that none of her answers had really phased him except for the one about being a member of the a race he despised.

"Is that also how you know my family? You've befriended them?" Bilbo inquired making Nariel jump in surprise for she had forgotten he was even there. Not for the first time that night Nariel nodded.

"Yes, I've known members of your family since I first travelled to the Shire. Not to mention, I somehow got some of the Sackville Bagginses as friends," Nariel said shrugging as if it was no big deal. However Bilbo's jaw dropped to the floor in surprise,

"You managed to put up with the Sackville Bagginses?!'' Bilbo exclaimed to which Nariel nodded in confirmation.

"Yeah, they're not all as bad as Lobelia you know," Nariel joked smiling. Bilbo burst out laughing at that comment and nodded only a little.

"So how long have you known Gandalf and that other Wizard?" Thorin asked finally speaking up.

"I've known both of them going on six hundred years now," Nariel answered. The dwarves all nodded in acceptance. It seemed she'd answered all the questions they'd had for now. And if they had more to ask of her later, she would certainly answer them.

…

Once the questions had all been answered, Nariel and Thorin and Balin and Bilbo joined Elrond and Gandalf at the main table. Thorin, Balin, and Bilbo were on Elrond's left while Gandalf and Nariel sat on his right. Elrond examines the Elven bow that Nariel had handed him.

"This bow…..This bow belonged to Beleg Strongbow of Doriath in the First Age. I'm amazed it still exists," Elrond informed Nariel and handed the bow back to her. Next her accepted the sword Thorin was handing him. He pulled it out of its sheath a little and examined it.

"This is Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver. A famous blade forged by the High Elves of the West, my kin. May it serve you well," Elrond told Thorin as he handed the sword back to him. Thorin accepts it with a nod, then Elrond turns to examine the sword Gandalf is holding out to him.

"And this is Glamdring, the Foe-Hammer, sword of the King of Gondolin. These swords were made for the goblin wars of the FIrst Age…." Elrond's voice began to trail off as she listened to both Balin and Bilbo conversing and her own thoughts. This was the bow that had belonged to Beleg. That was even more amazing than what she herself had imagined. She'd thought it would just turn out to be a bow that had belonged to a Silvan elf.

"How did you come by these?" Elrond asked, switching his gaze from one to another.

"We found them in a troll hoard on the Great East Road," Gandalf stated.

"Shortly before we were ambushed by orcs," Nariel added.

"And what were you doing on the Great East Road?" Elrond asked looking at his daughter but stating the question to everyone. No one answered him, and Thorin looked perturbed.

**And there it is! I hope y'all enjoyed it! Please leave a review?**


	18. Rivendell (Part two)

_Last time:_

_"This bow…..This bow belonged to Beleg Strongbow of Doriath in the First Age. I'm amazed it still exists," Elrond informed Nariel and handed the bow back to her. Next he accepted the sword Thorin was handing him. He pulled it out of its sheath a little and examined it._

_"This is Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver. A famous blade forged by the High Elves of the West, my kin. May it serve you well," Elrond told Thorin as he handed the sword back to him. Thorin accepts it with a nod, then Elrond turns to examine the sword Gandalf is holding out to him._

_"And this is Glamdring, the Foe-Hammer, sword of the King of Gondolin. These swords were made for the goblin wars of the FIrst Age…." Elrond's voice began to trail off as she listened to both Balin and Bilbo conversing and her own thoughts. This was the bow that had belonged to Beleg. That was even more amazing than what she herself had imagined. She'd thought it would just turn out to be a bow that had belonged to a Silvan elf._

_"How did you come by these?" Elrond asked, switching his gaze from one to another._

_"We found them in a troll hoard on the Great East Road," Gandalf stated._

_"Shortly before we were ambushed by orcs," Nariel added._

_"And what were you doing on the Great East Road?" Elrond asked looking at his daughter but stating the question to everyone. No one answered him, and Thorin looked perturbed._

….

Hours later in the night, Gandalf and Thorin and Balin and Bilbo and Nariel are standing in a hall in Rivendell.

"Our business is no concern of elves," Thorin said looking between Gandalf and Nariel and Elrond.

"For goodness sake, Thorin, just show my father the map," Nariel told the stubborn dwarf.

"It is the legacy of my people. It is mine to protect as are its secrets," Thorin replied just as stubborn as ever.

"Save me from the stubbornness of Dwarves. Your pride will be your downfall," Nariel stated crossing her arms over her chest.

"You stand here in the presence of one of the few in Middle-Earth who can read the map. Show it to Lord Elrond," Gandalf said coming to the aid of his friends. Thorin thinks quietly for a few seconds, with everyone looking at him. He begins to hand the map to Elrond, and Balin tries to stop him.

"Thorin, no!" Balin laid a hand on his arm to get him to stop. Nariel glanced over at Balin and raised her eyebrow.

"Don't trust us, Balin?" Nariel questioned him. Balin opens his mouth to speak but then closes it again speechless. Thorin then brushes Balin aside and hands Elrond the map. Elrond accepts it and studies it for a moment.

"Erebor? What is your interest in this map?" Elrond inquires looking at the dwarven prince. Thorin opens his mouth to speak, but Gandalf interrupts him.

"It's mainly academic. As you know, sometimes this sort of contact contains hidden text. You still read Ancient Dwarvish, do you not?" Gandalf asked his old friend. Elrond walks a little bit away studying the map again. As the moonlight hits the map, Elrond realizes something.

"_Cirth Ithil_," Elrond murmurs softly. Nariel's feels her eyes widen and feels herself nodding.

"Moon runes. Of course, that's such an easy thing to miss," Nariel said quietly.

"Well in this case that's true. Moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written," Elrond informed them all.

"Can you read them?" Thorin asked the elf. Nariel glanced between her father and the dwarven king waiting for her father to answer. Elrond doesn't answer but instead leads them to an open area outside. Nariel smiled as she remembered they were on a cliff as she saw the waterfalls falling all around them. She also noticed that the moon was behind the clouds. Without it, her father wouldn't be able to read the runes, that is if this was indeed the same type of moon on which the runes were written. Elrond walks forward and sets the map down on a crystalline table and the others join him.

"These runes were written on a Midsummer's Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago," Elrond began speaking, glancing back at the dwarf over his shoulder.

"It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell," Nariel noted as she listened. She offered Thorin a smile when he turned to give her a dirty look.

"Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield, for the same moon shines upon us tonight," Elrond continued. As Nariel looks up, the clouds covering the moon float away and rays of moonlight hits the crystalline table. The light flows through the map and ancient runes become visible on the map.

"Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole," Elrond translates the runes out loud.

"Durin's Day?" Nariel hears Bilbo asking off to her right.

"It is the start of the Dwarves' new year. When the last moon of autumn and the first sun fo winter appear in the sky together," Nariel answered him before Gandalf could utter a single syllable.

"This is ill news. Summer is passing. Durin's Day will soon be upon us," Thorin said with a note of despair in his voice. Balin shakes his head with a bit of a determined look on his face.

"We still have time," Balin stated with certainty.

"Time? For what?" Bilbo asked out of curiosity.

"To find the entrance. We need to be standing at exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, and only then, can the door be opened," Balin told the Hobbit to which Nariel began nodding.

"So this is your purpose, to enter the Mountain," Elrond said while looking at his daughter. Nariel just shrugged and then her father turned his gaze on Thorin.

"What of it?" Thorin demanded looking up at the elf.

"There are those who would not deem it wise," Elrond answered. Thorin takes the map back gruffly and leaves the area. Balin and Bilbo follow shortly afterwards.

"Who do you mean, father?" Nariel inquired. Elrond smiled at her gently.

"Mithrandir is not the only guardian to stand watch over Middle-Earth," Elrond told her before walking away. Gandalf then left as well, leaving Nariel alone to listen to the sound of the waterfalls. She stayed for a few more minutes but then eventually wandered towards the stables.

Glorfindel heard the footsteps coming and stood quickly when Nariel entered. Nariel offered him a smile as she went to her horse Feanor.

"You seem to have healed well, Nariel," Glorfindel said coming to stand by her. Nariel turned towards him and nodded.

"I have, my friend. But if it weren't for your and my father's help, I never would have made it back here," Nariel grinned giving him a slight hug. Glorfindel smiled and hugged her in return.

"You would have made it anyways. You're stronger than you think," Glorfindel told her as he pulled away. Nariel smiled yet again and nodded before giving Feanor an apple.

"I think I'm going to retire. I'll need to get up early," Nariel informed him to which Glorfindel nodded. They shared one last friendly hug and then she left. Once she got back to her room, she just collapsed on the bed and was out like a light.

The Dwarves are having a late-night party in their quarters. They roast sausages over a fire made by burning the Elvish furniture. Bofur, seeing a heavy Bombur sitting on a bench and eating a large bowl of food, looks at his sausage thoughtfully.

"Bombur!" Bofur calls. As Bombur looks up, Bofur throws him the sausage. Bombur catches it but the weight of the sausage is just too much for the bench and it breaks. Bombur, shrieking, falls to the floor along with all his food. The dwarves laugh uproariously.

In her dreams, Nariel dreamt of a meeting between her father, Galadriel, Saruman, and Gandalf himself. They were speaking of the dragon Smaug. Of Gandalf always meddling and of things hardly being a prelude to war. She dreamt of talkings of a hard won watchful peace. Of enemies being vanquished but a dark power called the Necromancer growing to Dol Guldur. They spoke of Radagast and a sword he'd found in the old fortress. And of Saruman saying he could not condone a quest such as the one they were on. Then Lindir entered her dreams saying the dwarves had gone. Nariel's next dream featured the dwarves and Bilbo leaving Rivendell. Balin was being told to lead the way cause he knew the paths and Bilbo was being told to keep up.

…

Nariel bolted straight up in her bed panting just a little. Her dreams seemed all too real. But they couldn't have been. Could they?

Quickly, Nariel got dressed in a new dress (the link is on my profile) and headed to the spot where her father always held his meetings. When she arrived, Gandalf and Galadriel were talking so she stays in the shadows until they're finished. But once again, her hearing got the better of her.

"Mithrandir? Why the Halfling? Why Elrond's daughter?" Galadriel asked him.

"I don't know. Saruman believes that it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. I've found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk, that keeps the darkness and evil at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins and Nariel? Perhaps it is because I am afraid and they give me courage," Gandalf said, his gaze falling on the area Nariel was currently standing in. Galadriel suddenly appears in front of Gandalf, and she takes his old, weary hands in hers.

"Do not be afraid, Mithrandir. You are not alone," Galadriel spoke aloud but for some reason Nariel only caught Galadriel's second sentence. Galadriel tucks a loose strand of Gandalf's hair back.

"_Ae boe i le eliathon, im tuluthion_," Galadriel spoke.

"If you should ever need my help, I will come," Nariel translated quietly, smiling softly. Gandalf bows and Galadriel gently moves her hands away from his. Gandalf looks up and Galadriel has disappeared. She found she no longer needed to speak with Gandalf about her dreams, she now understood that they had been visions. Quickly, she ran back to her room and got dressed in her traveling clothes. She grabbed her new bow and some supplies before racing out of Rivendell. If she kept running, she should be able to catch up with them…..or at least she hoped she would before anything bad happened.


	19. Stone Giants and Front Porches

**Hope you all like this chapter. It's like three mini ones in one big chapter.**

_Last time:_

_"Ae boe i le eliathon, im tuluthion," Galadriel spoke._

_"If you should ever need my help, I will come," Nariel translated quietly, smiling softly. Gandalf bows and Galadriel gently moves her hands away from his. Gandalf looks up and Galadriel has disappeared. She found she no longer needed to speak with Gandalf about her dreams, she now understood that they had been visions. Quickly, she ran back to her room and got dressed in her traveling clothes. She grabbed her new bow and some supplies before racing out of Rivendell. If she kept running, she should be able to catch up with them…..or at least she hoped she would before anything bad happened._

…..

The dwarves are crossing the Misty Mountains though the path is narrow and dangerous, a cliff on one side and a sheer drop on the other. There is a fierce storm in the air with lightning and rain all around them.

"Hold on!" Thorin yells over the thunder and rain. As Bilbo walks, the stone beneath his feet gives away, and he starts falling into the chasm. Dwalin manages to pull him back from the edge in time.

"We must find shelter!" Thorin called out.

"Watch out!" Dwalin warns. The Dwarves look up and see a massive boulder hurtling through the air. It hits the mountainside above them, causing rocks to fall all around them as they press themselves against the mountain.

"This is no mere thunderstorm, it's a thunder battle. Look!" Balin shouts out and points forward. A stone giant rears up from a nearby mountain, and it rips off a massive boulder from the top of the mountain.

"Well, bless me. The legends are true. Giants. Stone giants!" Bofur exclaimed looking above him in awe.

"Take cover! You'll fall!" Thorin yelled loudly. His youngest nephew stares around confused.

"What's happening?" Kili asked in a quiet voice.

One giant throws a boulder far in the air while another stone giant appears from behind the Company, and it is hit in the head. The dwarves yell at each other to brace and hold on as the rocks beneath their feet begin to give way from all the vibrations and impact of the falling rocks. The ground between some of the Company members splits, part of the group is on one side and part on the other.

"Kili! Grab my hand! Ki…" Fili says as he quickly reaches out to his younger brother but is cut off. As the two stone giants fight with their fists, the dwarves hold on tight as they are flung around. One of the groups manages to jump to a different spot. A third stone giant appears, and it throws a boulder at the head of one of the first two. That one falls over. As the first group watches, it appears to them that the other group of the Company has been smashed to bits. The hurt stone giant loses its footing and falls down the chasm.

"No! No! Kili!" Thorin calls out to his nephew. The group rushes to the spot where the others appeared to have been crushed but they are safe.

"We're all right! We're alive!" Balin calls out as he stands and starts helping the others to their feet.

"Where's Bilbo? Where's the Hobbit?" Bofur asked looking around frantically. Ori spots Bilbo hanging onto the edge of the cliff with just his fingertips.

"Over here!" Ori shouts out as Dwalin yells at him to get him. Ori dives onto the ground and tries to grab Bilbo's arm, but Bilbo slips and falls another few feet before he catches another handhold. As the dwarves try to pull him up unsuccessfully, Thorin swings down on the cliff next to Bilbo and boost him up, where the others pull him to safety. Dwalin tries to lift Thorin back up too, but Thorin loses his grip and begins falling too. However, a pale hand shoots out and grabs a hold of Thorin's arm. Slowly, the hand pulls him up, with the help of Dwalin, to safety. Thorin looks up to find that the hand that had saved him from falling was Nariel.

"I thought we left you behind in Rivendell," Thorin said automatically as he stood up. Nariel got to her feet as well and shrugged her shoulders.

"Gandalf had told me you were taking the mountain pass. I took a shortcut to get here. Plus, I ran. We Elves are fast runners," Nariel replied shrugging again. Thorin merely gave her a glare and nodded.

"I thought we'd lost our burglar," Dwalin huffed as he too got to his feet. Thorin turns to look at the Hobbit.

"He's been lost ever since he left home. He never should have come. He has no place amongst us," Thorin said coldly. Nariel stared at him in shock and anger.

"How can you say that? He's saved your lives before. He's already done a lot more on this quest then was asked of him," Nariel spoke defending the Hobbit. Thorin regarded her with yet another cold look.

"And you, Nariel, you have no place amongst us either. You've lied to us and deceived us. We have no reason to trust you," Thorin spat then started walking away, "Dwalin!"

The Company moves forward trying to find shelter. Nariel and Bilbo remain at the back of the group.

"You didn't have to do that you know," Bilbo said looking up the she-elf beside him. Nariel looked back down at him with a surprised expression on her face.

"Do what? Defend you against Thorin? Yes, I did," Nariel replied and returned her gaze forward.

"Why?" Bilbo asked her. Again Nariel looked down at him but this time she wore a warm smile.

"Because you're my friend. He has no right to treat you that way," Nariel answered her young Hobbit friend. Bilbo momentarily paused in shock but the kept on walking right beside her.

"Well, he had no right saying those things about you either," Bilbo said nodding. This time Nariel regarded the Hobbit with sad eyes.

"He's also right though. I did nothing but lie to them and deceive them. They have no reason at all to trust me," Nariel responded just as the Company found the opening to a cave. Without another word to Bilbo, Nariel made her way towards the front of the group so she was standing behind Fili.

"It looks safe enough," Dwalin said after he poked his head inside the cave opening.

"Search to the back. Caves in mountains are seldom unoccupied," Thorin ordered. Dwalin nodded and stepped inside, Nariel close behind him. Together the two of them searched the entire cave and found nothing. No one was there.

"There's nothing here," Dwalin informs the Company behind them, Thorin nods and gestures for everyone to file into the cave. Once inside, Gloin drops a bundle of wood on the floor then rubs his hands together.

"Right then! Let's get a fire started!" Gloin said with a smile of his face.

"No, no fires. Not in this place," Nariel automatically replied, an uneasy feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. Thorin regarded her for a moment with a slight look of respect in his eyes but then it was replaced with annoyance.

"She's right, no fires. Get some sleep. We start at first light," Thorin said and turned to find a spot to lay down but Balin stopped him before he got far.

"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan," Balin informed the younger dwarf. Thorin turned back to him and nodded slightly.

"Plans change, Balin. Bofur, take first watch," Thorin ordered then laid down. The toymaker nodded and sat down at the mouth of the cave to stare off into the night.

…

Hours later, all the dwarves plus Nariel are asleep. Bilbo, only pretending to be asleep, stealthily opens his eyes and looks around. Seeing that no one is watching, he quietly rolls up his blankets and packs his things. Grabbing his walking stick, he starts to leave the cave, tiptoeing over the sleeping dwarves. Upon hearing noise of movement in the cave, Nariel sat up just in time to see Bilbo slowly making his way towards the mouth of the cave. Slowly she stood up so as not to jostle Dori and stared at Bilbo's back.

"Bilbo, what are you doing?!" Nariel hissed quietly but loud enough for the Hobbit to hear her. Slowly the being in question turned around to look at her.

"I'm leaving," Bilbo said simply. Nariel frowned a bit and looked around the cave checking to make sure all the dwarves were asleep, including Bofur, before she replied.

"Why? Why are you leaving?" Nariel asked him. Bilbo's eyes gained a sad look before he answered her.

"I don't belong here. I never did. Thorin was right," Bilbo told her. Nariel almost took a step back in shock but forced herself to stay in place.

"Where will you go?" Nariel asked the Hobbit.

"Back to Rivendell," Bilbo replied with a weak smile. Nariel nodded and turned, quickly packing up her own stuff before carefully making her way to Bilbo's side.

"It seems to me you could use some company on your journey back," Nariel whispered and offered him a small smile. She didn't need the Hobbit knowing that the main reason she was going to be going back with him was to protect him if necessary.

"Thanks, Nariel. I think I'll enjoy that," Bilbo grinned up at her. The two then proceeded to make their way towards the mouth of the cave once again. This time though Bofur spots them trying to leave.

""Where do you think you're going?" Bofur asked in a hushed tone. Bilbo rolls his eyes slightly as he had already gone through this with Nariel.

"I'm going back to Rivendell," Bilbo told the dwarf. Bofur's eyes widened, and he shook his head so fast Nariel thought his hat was going to fly off.

"No, no. You can't turn back now. You're part of the Company. You're one of us," Bofur said taking on pleading tone.

"I'm not though, am I? Thorin said I shouldn't have come and he was right. I'm a Baggins not a Took, I don't know what I was thinking. I never should have run out my door. Thorin, who is awake, stares at the wall thoughtfully as he listens.

"But you need to stay. We need you. We need both of you," Bofur pleaded looking at both of them.

"No, Bofur, Thorin was right. Neither Bilbo nor I belong here. I may have lied to and deceived you all but what he doesn't know is that I was doing it to protect you. Had I not, there would have been a lot more attacks on the journey. We're out of place here," Nariel said speaking. Thorin's eyes widen the slightest bit at Nariel's words but he doesn't move.

"You're homesick, I understand that," Bofur said in one final attempt to get them both to stay.

"No, you don't, you don't understand! None of you do….you're dwarves, You're used to this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere," Bilbo said quickly. Bofur looks offended while Nariel looks down at the Hobbit in shock. Bilbo himself looks repentant. Thorin listens on to the conversation between the three.

"I'm sorry, I didn't….."

"No, you're right. We don't belong anywhere," Bofur said sadly as he glanced over his shoulder at his companions," I wish you two all the luck in the world. I really do." Bofur smiles and puts a hand on each of their shoulders. Bilbo and Nariel turn and begin to walk away.

"What's that?" Bofur asks when he sees something glowing. Bilbo pull his sword part way out of its sheath and sees that it is growing bright blue, meaning Orcs are nearby. Thorin raises his head as he hears strange machinery noises and sees cracks form in the sand on the floor of the cave.

"Wake up. Wake up!" Thorin yells. Before anyone can react, the floor of the cave collapses downwards; the floor is really a giant trap door. The entire Company falls down a chute, slides through a tunnel, and lands in a giant wooden cage. As they struggle to get up, a horde of goblins attacks them, takes away their weapons, and drags them all away. As the dwarves and Nariel are lead away kicking and yelling, Nariel turns her head in time to see Bilbo crawling away with his sword drawn.

The goblin horde brings the dwarves and Nariel through a vast network of tunnels and wooden bridges to the throne room and platform of the Great Goblin. The Great Goblin is a massive Goblin sitting on a throne, holding a mace topped with a skull. He is much bigger than any other goblin, and he is incredibly ugly, with warts all over her swinging chin. The dwarves' weapons are piled together with Nariel's bow being thrown on top of the pile. The Great Goblin jumps off his throne, trampling several goblins in the process, and approaches the Company.

"Who would be so bold to come armed into my kingdom? Spies? Thieves? Assassins?" the Great Goblin King asked.

"Dwarves and an Elf, your Malevolence," Grinnah, one of the many goblin servants, replied as he looked up at his king.

"Dwarves? An Elf?" the king inquired. Grinnah nodded and made his way back towards the Company.

"We found them on the Front Porch," Grinnah said with a slight cackle.

"Well, don't just stand there, search them! Every crack and crevice!" the Goblin King ordered. Immediately, the goblins surround the Company. Nariel felt a few of the dwarves press into her. Whether they were trying to protect her or merely stay away from the goblins' claws and hands, she wouldn't know. The goblins search the dwarves and Nariel thoroughly, throwing away whatever they find. Oin's hearing trumpet is thrown on the floor and crushed underfoot.

"What are you doing in these parts? Speak?" the Great Goblin demanded. None of the dwarves nor Nariel answer him.

"Very well, if they will not talk, we'll make them squawk! Bring out the Mangler and the Bone Breaker! Start with the youngest!" the Goblin King orders and points at Ori. As the goblins start reaching for the young dwarf, Nariel pushes her way forward until she breaks free of the dwarves.

"Wait, he's not the youngest! I am!" Nariel called out, craning her neck a little so she could actually look up at the Great Goblin. The Great Goblin laughed as he looked down at her.

"Nariel, no!" Fili called out and made to rush forward but the other dwarves held him back.

"So you're the elf," the Great Goblin stated and studied her," And if I'm not mistaken that sorry excuse for an elf Lord Elrond's daughter."

"That I am," Nariel replied nodding.

"What are you doing amongst all these dwarves?" the Goblin King asked her, his eyes fixed on her. Nariel didn't reply.

"Very well," the Goblin King said and gestured for some his goblins to come forward. Come forward they did and when they did so they grabbed her and started to haul her off towards a different tunnel.

"Wait!" a voice called out. Nariel managed to turn her head to see Thorin stepping forward. "Let her go."

"Well, well, well, look who it is. Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror; King Under the Mountain," the Great Goblin says and bows to Thorin exaggeratedly. At the same time, he gestures for the goblins holding Nariel to drag her into the tunnel. However, Nariel begins struggling. Seeing this, Kili and Bofur call out her name and try to make their way forward but are stopped by the goblins that have surrounded the Company. Thorin watches in a mixture of horror and disbelief as Nariel is finally forced into the tunnel and out of his view.

"But I'm forgetting, you don't have a mountain. And you're not a king. Which makes you no one really. However, I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head. Just the head, nothing else attached. Perhaps you know of whom I speak. A Pale Orc astride a White Warg," the Great Goblin finishes speaking with a smirk on his ugly face. Thorin looks up at him in surprise and disbelief.

"Azog the Defiler was destroyed, He was slain in battle long ago," Thorin said quietly. He was stopped from saying anything else as a scream broke through the air.

"So you think his defiling days are done, do you?" the Great Goblin questioned Thorin, completely ignoring the sound of the dwarves that were struggling against his goblins so they could go help Nariel and the screams of Nariel Great Goblin laughs, then turns to a tiny goblin sitting in a basket and holding a slate.

"Send word to the Pale Orc, tell him I have found his prize."

The tiny goblin writes down the message on his slate, cackling. He then pulls a lever, causing his basket to start sliding down a system of ropes and pulleys into the darkness.

**I hope you all liked this chapter**


	20. Goblin Town and Escaping

_**I hope y'all enjoy this chapter. It took me a few hours to come up with it. **_

_Last time:_

"Azog the Defiler was destroyed, He was slain in battle long ago," Thorin said quietly. He was stopped from saying anything else as a scream broke through the air.

"So you think his defiling days are done, do you?" the Great Goblin questioned Thorin, completely ignoring the sound of the dwarves that were struggling against his goblins so they could go help Nariel and the screams of Nariel Great Goblin laughs, then turns to a tiny goblin sitting in a basket and holding a slate.

"Send word to the Pale Orc, tell him I have found his prize."

The tiny goblin writes down the message on his slate, cackling. He then pulls a lever, causing his basket to start sliding down a system of ropes and pulleys into the darkness.

….

Dozens of goblins carry massive instruments of torture on their shoulders, bringing them to the Great Goblin. Meanwhile, the Great Goblin is dancing and singing lustily.

"Bones will be shattered, necks will be wrung! You'll be beaten and battered, from racks you'll be hung! You will lie down here and never be found, down in the deep of Goblin Town!" the Great Goblin chuckled. He pauses for a moment to listen to Nariel's screams coming from the tunnel.

Grinnah, one of the goblins, is examining the weapons the dwarves and Nariel brought with them. He picks up Thorin's sword, Orcrist, and slides it a few inches out of its sheath. Recognizing the sword, he gasps in horror and throws down the sword. It lands in view of all the goblins. Recognizing it, the goblins howl in fear and rage as they retreat from it, their screams and Nariel's mixing to form a perfect harmony. The Great Goblin runs rapidly to his throne, trampling many goblins on his way. He speaks loudly, pointing at the sword in fear.

"That sword! I know that sword! It is the Goblin Cleaver, the Biter, the blade that sliced a thousand necks!" the Great Goblin exclaimed. As he spoke, Grinnah and the rest of the goblins start whipping the dwarves with ropes.

"Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his head!" the Great Goblin continued exclaiming.

Goblins hold Thorin down, one them taking its knife to prepare to behead Thorin. It raises its arm, preparing to strike, but before it could let its arm fall an arrow pierced its chest. Thorin pushed the now dead goblin off of him and looked up to see Nariel standing there with a bow in her hand. He noticed there was also blood dripping down her arms, making her hands wet. It amazed him that she could keep a good grip on her bow with her hands so slick with her own blood.

The goblins move forward to grab both her and Thorin but before they can get very far, a bright flash of light explodes causing a shockwave to go through the area. Goblins were flung through the air and landed on their torture machines effectively destroying them. Everyone else was knocked down as well, including Nariel and the Great Goblin. When the force of the explosion passes, Nariel lifts her head only slightly to see that most of the lights have been snuffed out. A shadow walks forward, and Nariel sees it's Gandalf wielding his staff and Glamdring. Light slowly starts returning to the area as everyone turns their gaze on the Grey Wizard.

"Take up arms! Fight!" Gandalf called out. The dwarves quickly get up and begin fighting the goblins. Both Fili and Kili make their way over to Nariel and help her to her feet. She nods her thanks to them before jumping into the fray of dwarves and goblins. As goblins run at Gandalf, he kills them with his sword and staff. The Great Goblin, still lying on the ground, sees Gandalf's sword and points at it.

"He wields the Foe-Hammer, the beater, bright as daylight!" the Great Goblin King cried aloud to his goblins.

Some of the dwarves reach their pile of weapons and begin tossing the weapons to each other and use them to defeat the goblins around them. Oin manages to reclaim his hearing trumpet, although it has been quite flattened. Nori, while fighting, lands on the floor. Taking this opportunity, the Great Goblin runs at him and swings his mace.

"Nori!" Nariel yelled when she noticed the dwarf was in trouble. She nocked an arrow and aimed it at the Goblin King, letting it fly through the air and embed itself into his ugly chin. To Nariel's surprise, at the same time her arrow made contact with the Goblin King, Thorin jumped forward blocking the Great Goblin from hitting Nori with the mace. By blocking the blow, Thorin caused the Great Goblin to stumble backward towards the edge of his platform and fall to the depths below. The dwarves, Gandalf, and Nariel resume fighting.

"Follow me! Quick! Run!" Gandalf calls out to his companions and start running along a pathway. Soon the dwarves and Nariel follow him, cutting down goblins as they go.

…..

The Company keep running through the suspended passageways of Goblin Town, hundreds of goblins on their tail.

"Quickly!" Gandalf urges and puts on a small burst of speed.

"Faster!" Nariel calls from the back of the group, where she's having trouble with both keeping up and keeping the goblins away from the rest of the group. Dwalin, who is at the front of the group, spots quite a few goblins running at them in the front.

"Post!" Dwalin calls. Together, he and several other dwarves cut a guardrail post from the side of the path and hold it out in front of them like a giant spear.

"Charge!" Dwalin shouts. He and the other dwarves charge at the oncoming goblins and sweep them away with the long rail. Dropping the rail, Dwalin pulls out his axes and begins knocking aside goblins. The rest of the company pulls out their respective weapons again and knock goblins aside as well. Gloin hits one goblin who falls and lands on another suspended path, breaking the path and dropping all the goblins on it into the darkness below. The rest of the Company also fight the goblins around them with their various weapons and fighting styles. But the entire time, Nariel was falling further behind. She was separated from the dwarves as she fought. When she finally got a breather, she heard several goblins snarl as they swung on ropes toward the dwarves.

"Cut the ropes!" Nariel heard Thorin's voice rise clamor. Without thinking she turned her bow and shot an arrow at the ropes, the arrow cutting two of the ropes before killing a goblin. At the same time, Thorin and a few of the other dwarves cut the other ropes holding a platform in place causing it to fall outwards and entangle goblins swinging on the ropes.

As Kili fights, several goblins start shooting arrows at him. He deflects some arrows with his sword, but then he grabs a nearby ladder and drops it on the oncoming goblins. Kili and Fili and Oin and Gloin and Dwalin and Balin run forward, pushing the ladder and the goblins it has trapped in front of them. As they approach a missing area of the path, the goblins fall down into the darkness; the ladder, however, acts as a bridge for the dwarves to cross to the rest of the path. As soon as the entire Company, including Nariel, cross it, Dwalin breaks the ladder preventing the goblins chasing them from crossing it.

"Quickly!" Gandalf starts urging them forward once again. The dwarves and Gandalf continue running through the maze-like paths until they get on a section of the path suspended by ropes from above. They slice some ropes, and the pathway swings away from the rest of the path, approaching a different path.

"Jump!" Thorin orders quickly. Half the Company manages to jump to the new path but before the rest can, the suspended path swings away returning to where it started. Several goblins jump on the swinging path when it returns, but some of them are killed as Nariel pulls out her dagger and stabs them or just pushes them off the path. As the path swings back again, Gandalf and Nariel and the rest of the dwarves manage to jump onto the new path. As soon as she lands, Nariel turns and cuts the ropes of the hanging path causing it and the remaining goblins on it to fall. The Company continues running through the tunnels killing all the goblins that get in their way. Along the way Gandalf strikes a rock above them with his staff, causing the rock to fall down and begin rolling in front of the Company, squashing all the goblins in their way. Soon, they approach a bridge between two walls of the cavern. As they try to cross it, the Great Goblin suddenly breaks through from underneath the bridge and pulls himself up onto the bridge, in front of the Company. As the Company pauses, hundreds of goblins approach them from all sides.

"You thought you could escape me?" the Great Goblin asked swinging his mace twice causing Gandalf to stumble backwards. "What are you going to do now Wizard?"

Gandalf leaps forward and strikes the Great Goblin in the eye with his staff. At the same time, Nariel shoots another arrow at the Goblin King which lands on the side of his cheek. The Great Goblin drops his mace and clutches his face in pain.

"Ow, ow, ow!" the Great Goblin cries out. Gandalf steps forward and slices the Great Goblin's belly while another arrow embeds itself in his belly at the same time. The Great Goblin falls to his knees, clutching his belly.

"That'll do it," the Great Goblin says and looks at the Wizard. Gandalf again swings his sword, and again an arrow flies through the air to embed itself in the Goblin King's eyes, and slices the Great Goblin's neck causing him to fall down dead.

His weight causes the bridge to start shaking. Suddenly, the section of the bridge on which the company is standing breaks away from the rest of the bridge and starts sliding down the side of the cavern. The bridge slides at a terrific speed down the cavern's wall, demolishing everything in its way. The dwarves and Nariel cling to it, screaming in terror. The bridge slows down and lands at the base of the cavern, breaking apart and burying the dwarves, Nariel, and Gandalf in the timber and wood. Gandalf gets up from the pile of wreckage and inspects the rest of the dwarves, who are still stuck in the wreckage.

"Well, that could have been worse," Bofur says as he starts trying to crawl out of the wreckage.

Suddenly, the heavy corpse of the Great Goblin lands on the wreckage, squishing the dwarves and Nariel further. They all cry out in pain.

"You've got to be joking!" Nariel heard Dwalin exclaim. The dwarves extricate themselves from the rubble. Bofur, Fili, and Kili then turn to help Nariel get out of the rubble. As they uncover Nariel, Kili looks up and sees thousands of goblins running at them.

"Gandalf!" Kili yells just as Fili and Bofur get their arms around Nariel.

"There's too many! We can't fight them," Nariel says quietly,

"Only one thing will save us, daylight! Come on! Here on your feet!" Gandalf calls. The dwarves get up quickly, helping each other to their feet, and they run away, following Gandalf. Once they find the exit, the Company runs down the side of the steep, tree covered mountain. Gandalf pauses to count how many members of the company are with him. The Company pauses to collect their breath.

"Nariel….five, six, seven, eight…..Bifur, Bofur…..that's ten…...Fili, Kili…..that's twelve…...and Bombur….that makes thirteen. Where's Bilbo? Where is our Hobbit?" Gandalf asked looking around.

"Curse the halfling! Now he's lost!" Dwalin growled looking around as well.

"I thought he was with Dori," Gloin said looking in the said dwarf's direction.

"Don't blame me," Dori said, an offended look on his face.

"Well, where did you last see him?" Gandalf asked, a bit anxious to find the Hobbit now.

"I saw him slip away when the goblins first collared us," Nariel informed them quietly and leant back against a tree. Bofur frowned at Nariel and waved Oin over.

"Oin, Nariel needs help," Bofur told the dwarf. Oin nodded and made his way over to Nariel's side. Gently he made her lean forward. Nariel cringed as she heard Oin curse in Dwarvish.

Kili, Fili, and Bofur join OIn at Nariel's side and are soon cursing as well. Nariel's back, which had been untainted by scars before, was now split open by multiple gashes, which were still bleeding. Gashes that could have only been made by a whip being drawn across her back. Oin knelt and started mixing certain herbs into a bowl. He then stood up with this nasty green stuff on his fingers.

"This may hurt a bit, lass," Oin warned and started spreading the mixture on Nariel's back before Nariel could say anything. Nariel bit her lip and gripped both Fili and Bofur's hands to keep from crying out in pain.

"What happened exactly? Tell me!" Gandalf exclaimed quickly.

"I'll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since he first he stepped out of his door! We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He is long gone," Thorin said coldly. The dwarves and Nariel all look at each other after Thorin finishes speaking.

"No, he isn't," Nariel's head shot up to see Bilbo standing right there. The dwarves look up in shock and relief. Gandalf laughs as he speaks.

"Bilbo Baggins! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!" Gandalf cried laughing and spreading his hands. Bilbo strides forward into the group and pats Balin affectionately on the shoulder.

"Bilbo! We'd given you up!" Kili declared. He'd let go of Nariel's hand when Oin started bandaging Nariel's back.

"How on earth did you get past the goblins?" Fili asked him, his eyes widened a little.

"How indeed," Dwalin agreed looking at the Hobbit. There is an awkward silence as Bilbo tries to think what to say. In the end, he gives a nervous laugh and puts his hands on his hips. Gandalf is the only one to notice Bilbo sliding the Ring into his waistcoat pocket. Gandalf looks a bit perturbed.

"What does it matter? He's back!" Gandalf proclaimed.

"It matters! I want to know, why did you come back?" Thorin questioned the Hobbit.

"Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair. And my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back, cause you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can," Bilbo said nodding. After Bilbo speaks, there is silence as the dwarves think about what Bilbo said. Gandalf smiles slightly, happy that Bilbo has changed so much…. for the better.

**Aaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnddddd that's the end of the chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please leave a review?**


	21. Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire

_**I hope you all enjoy this chapter**_

_Last time:_

"What does it matter? He's back!" Gandalf proclaimed.

"It matters! I want to know, why did you come back?" Thorin questioned the Hobbit.

"Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair. And my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back, cause you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can," Bilbo said nodding. After Bilbo speaks, there is silence as the dwarves think about what Bilbo said. Gandalf smiles slightly, happy that Bilbo has changed so much…. for the better.

….

Several Wargs, Azog and his White Warg among them, race down the side of the mountain after the Company howling. Hearing the howling, the Company members realize they are in danger.

"Out of the frying pan….." Thorin started, a slight roll of his eyes.

"...and into the fire! Run! Run!" Gandalf shouts loudly.

They all start running, Nariel only after Bofur and Gloin helped her to her feet, down the mountain as fast as they can. The Wargs follow them rapidly and it becomes nighttime. Soon the foremost Warg catches up to the group and leaps at Bilbo. Bilbo ducks behind a rock and the Warg's jaws snap in the air over his head. The Warg lands in front of him. Growling, it charges at him. Bilbo pulls out his sword and holds it in front of him causing the charging Warg to impale itself in the head on the sword and fall down dead. Bilbo looks on in surprise. A few more Wargs catch up to the fleeing dwarves, but they are quickly dispatched. The Company reaches a large outcropping of land with a few trees growing on it. They are trapped there as there is no way off the outcropping besides a great fall down the mountain.

"Up into the trees, all of you! Gloin, Oin, help Nariel up. Come on, climb! Bilbo, climb!" Gandalf yells and climbs up to the top of the furthest tree himself.

Bifur throws an axe, killing a Warg which was approaching him. Bofur jumps off a rock and grabs a tree branch, using Dwalin's head as a stepping stone to the tree. Gloin gets up into the branches of a tree and helps Nariel up as Oin gives her a boost. Nariel turns and reaches a hand out to help Oin up into the branches. Other dwarves began climbing into the trees as well. Bilbo tries to pull his sword out of the dead Warg's head, but it is stuck firmly so he continues to pull.

"They're coming!" Thorin calls out. Dwalin boosts Balin up. Thorin, Bombur, and the rest climb up trees too. The main body of Wargs and Warg Riders approach. Bilbo finally manages to pull his sword out of the Warg and he looks up to see several more Wargs running at him. He quickly clambers up a tree as the Wargs rush below him. Dozens of Wargs circle the trees in which the Company members are perched. Gandalf reaches out with his staff and picks up a moth sitting in the same tree as him. Bringing the moth close to his face, he whispers to it then blows it gently, causing it to flutter away. The Wargs cease their growling and turn as the White Warg, with Azog on its back, approaches slowly. Thorin looks at Azog in shock.

"Azog?!" Thorin whispered not wanting to believe the Pale Orc was really alive. As his White Warg growls, Azog strokes it and talks ominously.

"Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast?" Azog said speaking in his own language. Nariel's eyes widened slightly. Gloin looked down at her with a confused expression.

"What is he saying?" Gloin asked her. Nariel glanced up at him then focused on Azog and his words.

"Do you smell it? The scent of fear?" Nariel translated.

"Ganzilig-i unarug obod nauzdanish, Torin undag Train-ob," Azog continued speaking.

"I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain," Nariel translated as well and turned her head to look at Thorin. She realizes Thorin looks stricken with pain and grief, no doubt realizing that Azog had captured and killed his father.

"It cannot be," Thorin whispered, he wanted to believe his father was still alive. That he was just lost and wandering somewhere.

Nariel watches as Azog turns and speaks to his riders, but before she can translate, Wargs are leaping forward and trying to climb the trees. The trees begin to shake violently as the Wargs continue to scrabble at the tree trunks and snap the branches in their jaws. Despite all this, Nariel continues to watch Azog to see if she can translate anything else. She watches as Azog opens his mouth to say something else, but her attention is quickly adverted to a Warg below her. Each time it jumped the tree, Nariel lost her grip on the branches, she just hadn't realized it till now when she lost her grip and nearly fell to the ground.

With the weight of the Wargs climbing it, the furthest tree from the edge of the cliff, which Bilbo and several other dwarves are in, gets uprooted from the ground and begins leaning wildly. More Wargs grab onto it causing the tree to tip over and land on the next tree. The dwarves and Bilbo jump from the falling tree to the next. However, this tree as well tips over; like dominoes, all the trees begin falling over. All the dwarves, Bilbo, Nariel, and Gandalf manage to jump onto the last tree at the very edge of the cliff. This tree doesn't fall over but Azog laughs anyways. Looking around in desperation, Gandalf spies a pinecone. He grabs it and uses his staff to set the pinecone on fire, then he throws it down amongst the Wargs, who retreat in fear of the fire. Azog is startled and angry at the unexpected resistance. Gandalf lights two more pinecones and throws one down to Fili.

"Fili!" Gandalf called down to the dwarf just in time to avoid the dwarf getting hit on the head with a flaming pinecone.

Fili catches the pinecone. Bilbo and the dwarves gather pine cones and Gandalf sets them all on fire. Everyone then throws the flaming pinecones like missiles at the Wargs. The area around the tree gets set on fire, forcing the Wargs to retreat a distance. At least one Warg gallops away with its fur alight. Azog roars in anger and frustration as the dwarves and Nariel cheer. Suddenly, their cheers turn into cries of fear as the roots of the tree they are in start to give way causing it to tip precariously over the edge of the cliff, but then it comes to a rest sticking straight out away from the edge of the cliff. Gandalf looks down and sees the ground far, far, below. The dwarves try to hold on as they get flung around. Ori loses his grip on the tree and falls, but manages to grab on to Dori's leg.

"Ahhhh, no! No!" Ori cried out as he began losing his grip on Dori's leg as well.

"Mister Gandalf!" Dori cried out as he too began losing his grip on the tree. Within a matter of moments, Dori does in fact lose his grip and begins to fall along with Ori. However, Gandalf quickly swings his staff down and the two dwarves grab a hold of it, each one shouting to the other to hold on.

Azog growls and Thorin, who is clinging to the tree, looks at him in hate and anger. He then pulls himself up, draws his sword, and walks down the leaning trunk as Bilbo, Nariel, and the others, hanging from the tree, look on. Thorin runs through the burning ground at Azog and his White Warg. Azog spreads his arms wide with a smug grin on his face, almost as if taunting the dwarf. Thorin growls as he runs with his sword up and his oaken branch shield held in front of him. Azog crouches then roars as his Warg leaps at Thorin. Thorin tries to swing his sword, but the Warg hits him in the chest with its forepaw, smashing Thorin to the ground. The other dwarves in the tree look on in shock. Dori struggles to hold on to Gandalf's staff.

**And this brings us to what I would like to call a cliffhanger. Again, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review?**


	22. Escaping the Fire

_**I am not that great at fight scenes, so I hope you like this chapter. I really did try my best on it**_

_Last time:_

_"Mister Gandalf!" Dori cried out as he too began losing his grip on the tree. Within a matter of moments, Dori does in fact lose his grip and begins to fall along with Ori. However, Gandalf quickly swings his staff down and the two dwarves grab a hold of it, each one shouting to the other to hold on._

_Azog growls and Thorin, who is clinging to the tree, looks at him in hate and anger. He then pulls himself up, draws his sword, and walks down the leaning trunk as Bilbo, Nariel, and the others, hanging from the tree, look on. Thorin runs through the burning ground at Azog and his White Warg. Azog spreads his arms wide with a smug grin on his face, almost as if taunting the dwarf. Thorin growls as he runs with his sword up and his oaken branch shield held in front of him. Azog crouches then roars as his Warg leaps at Thorin. Thorin tries to swing his sword, but the Warg hits him in the chest with its forepaw, smashing Thorin to the ground. The other dwarves in the tree look on in shock. Dori struggles to hold on to Gandalf's staff._

…..

Though Nariel can hear Ori's cries for help, she knows there isn't much she can do for him. So she ignores him, knowing Gandalf would help the dwarf, and focuses on Thorin. She watches as Thorin gets back to his feet, obviously breathing hard, only to be flung backwards by the sheer force of Azog striking him with his mace. Nariel could hear Balin crying out the word no, but again she ignored her dwarven companion in favor of trying to stand up in the tree and keep her attention on Thorin.

Azog roars in excitement just as Nariel manages to stand up. Turning only slightly, Nariel sees that Bilbo had managed to stand up on the tree as well. The White Warg clamps its jaws around Thorin causing him to yell in pain, this in turn made Nariel whip around and slowly start to make her way down the tree.

As the White Warg holds Thorin in its mouth, Thorin manages to hit its head with the pommel of his sword. Roaring, the White Warg throws Thorin several feet away onto a flat rock nearby. Thorin lands heavily, his sword falling out of his hand.

"Thorin! No!" Nariel finds herself crying out as she reaches the base of the tree. She then realizes that Thorin is almost unconscious. She takes off running and only just manages to get to him as Azog finishes ordering his orcs to bring him Thorin's head. Without a single thought, Nariel pulled out her bow and an arrow and aimed it at the Orcs, switching her aim every few seconds. A grim smile made its way onto her face as she noticed the Orcs had all halted in their advance on the dwarf.

"Nobody touches him," Nariel hissed quietly, a deadly note coming out into her voice. One of the Orcs jumped down off its Warg and started to approach Nariel and Thorin. Before it could get very far, the Orc fell dead with an arrow through its neck.

"I told you," Nariel spat as she nocked another arrow, "no one touches him."

Apparently being told they couldn't touch the dwarf was viewed as a challenge by the Orcs for they all rushed at Nariel. For the first few minutes, Nariel was doing just fine holding her own. That was until she felt her back getting wet, and she knew her wounds had reopened despite the healing mixture and bandages Oin had used.

Slowly, Nariel began to lose focus on what she was doing, the pain getting to her much more than she would have preferred. One of the Orcs she was fighting kicked her in the stomach which sent her flying backwards into a tree. Upon impact, Nariel let out a cry of pain and fell in a heap on the ground. But ignoring her pain, she got to her feet and pulled out her sword, her bow going on her back. With a cry of pain and frustration, Nariel leaped back into the mix of Orcs, slashing every one her sword came into contact with. But as almost every fighter must do every once in awhile, Nariel forgot to guard her back so the next thing she knew the ground was rising up to meet her face. And out of the corner of her eye, Nariel saw Bilbo standing in front of Thorin's now unconscious body and waving his sword around. Azog smiled in hatred and ordered his Orcs to kill Bilbo. Before Nariel had even gotten to her knees in an attempt to go and help Bilbo, Fili and Kili and Dwalin plow into the Orcs and begin fighting them.

In the confusion, Bilbo yells and leaps forward, wounding a Warg. The White Warg hits Bilbo with his head and sends him flying. Meanwhile, Nariel makes it back to her feet and attacks Azog and the White Warg. Before the Warg could actually react, Nariel pulled Azog off of its back and began fighting him on foot. The pain of each and every blow she sustained at Azog's hands slowly got to her and she began to weaken, her reflexes getting slower. Azog took this as her chance and smacked her across the face with his mace sending her flying yet again. Azog then laughs and climbs back onto his Warg. The fighting around them continues, Azog and his White Warg then approach Bibo to kill him. Fili, Kili, and Dwalin have been surrounded by Wargs, Nariel is in a heap at the bottom of a tree and Bilbo is at Azog's mercy. Suddenly, a moth returns to Gandalf. Dori slips from the end of Gandalf's staff, and Dori and Ori fall toward the ground far below. An eagle swoops out of nowhere and catches them on its back. Both yell in fear as they are carried swiftly away. Several more Eagles appear and join the fray of Middle-Earth beings. Some grab Wargs and Orcs and toss them over the cliff. Others knock down trees, which crush the Wargs below them. Another Eagle fans the flames with its wings, causing an inferno which burns the Wargs. Azog snarls in frustration at the loss of his advantage over the dwarves. One Eagle gently grabs Nariel then Thorin and his sword in its talons and flies away. As Thorin is lifted off the ground, his oaken branch shield slips off his arm and lands on the ground. Azog roars and jumps back as an Eagle flies by him; the Eagle heads straight for an alarmed Bibo and snatches him off the ground. It then throws Bilbo, and he screams as he falls toward the ground, only to land on the back of another Eagle. The rest of the Eagles proceed to snatch the dwarves out of the tree and fly away. When only Gandalf is left in the tree, the roots give way and the tree falls off the edge of the cliff. Gandalf leaps clear of it and is caught by an Eagle. As the Eagles fly away with all the Company, Azog and the few Warg Riders left growl in anger and frustration.

**Sorry for these short chapter. I had it in one big chapter but I decided to split it up. Also another cliffhanger though it may not seem like it. Anyways, please leave me with a review?**


	23. The Lonely Mountain

_**I hope you guys like this chapter **_

_Last time:_

_The fighting around them continues, Azog and his White Warg then approach Bibo to kill him. Fili, Kili, and Dwalin have been surrounded by Wargs, Nariel is in a heap at the bottom of a tree and Bilbo is at Azog's mercy. Suddenly, a moth returns to Gandalf. Dori slips from the end of Gandalf's staff, and Dori and Ori fall toward the ground far below. An eagle swoops out of nowhere and catches them on its back. Both yell in fear as they are carried swiftly away. Several more Eagles appear and join the fray of Middle-Earth beings. Some grab Wargs and Orcs and toss them over the cliff. Others knock down trees, which crush the Wargs below them. Another Eagle fans the flames with its wings, causing an inferno which burns the Wargs. Azog snarls in frustration at the loss of his advantage over the dwarves. One Eagle gently grabs Nariel then Thorin and his sword in its talons and flies away. As Thorin is lifted off the ground, his oaken branch shield slips off his arm and lands on the ground. Azog roars and jumps back as an Eagle flies by him; the Eagle heads straight for an alarmed Bibo and snatches him off the ground. It then throws Bilbo, and he screams as he falls toward the ground, only to land on the back of another Eagle. The rest of the Eagles proceed to snatch the dwarves out of the tree and fly away. When only Gandalf is left in the tree, the roots give way and the tree falls off the edge of the cliff. Gandalf leaps clear of it and is caught by an Eagle. As the Eagles fly away with all the Company, Azog and the few Warg Riders left growl in anger and frustration._

….

The Eagles soar through the sky over a great distance and over many landscapes. Thorin lies unconscious in one Eagle's talons while Nariel lies in the other one awake but in pain. The other members of the Company worry about them both.

"Thorin!" Fili cries out, gripping the feathers on the Eagles back.

"Nariel!" the she elf could hear her name being called. Although she could not distinguish who was calling her name at all.

The Eagles approach a massive rock structure shaped like a bear known as the Carrock. The Eagle carrying Thorin and Nariel gently deposits them and their weapos on a flat area on top of the Carrock. Two more Eagles land on the Carrock and Gandalf, Bofur, Kili, and Fili slide off their necks. Gandalf running toward the unconscious Thorin while the three dwarves ran towards Nariel.

Nariel was vaguely aware of Gandalf calling Thorin's name and of the said dwarf not responding. She registered the fact that Bilbo had joined Gandalf at Thorin's side and that the others dwarves had now landed. She was also aware that the three dwarves by her side were speaking to her, but she ignored them as she watched and listened to Gandalf say a spell as his hand hovered over Thorin's face. When Thorin gasped for air, Nariel let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding.

"The halfling? The elf?" Thorin asked sitting up. Oin walked over to Nariel as well and began to examine her wounds. Nariel listened as the healer quickly told her that she should watch how she fights or the wounds would keeps reopening and that she was lucky that they hadn't opened too much. Oin redid her bandages and then rejoined his brother. Fili, Kili, and Bofur then helped Nariel get to her feet.

"It's all right. They're here. They're both quite safe," Gandalf said to reassure the dwarf in front of him. All the dwarves surround the wounded Thorin. Dwalin and Balin help him up, but once he is up, he shrugs them both off. Slowly, he approaches both Nariel and Bilbo.

"You! What did you two think you were doing? You nearly got yourselves killed! Did I not say that you two would be a burden? That you would not survive in the Wild? That you two had no place amongst us?" Thorin asks advancing on them till he's face to face with them. Nariel's eyes widen and glancing down at Bilbo she realizes the Hobbit looks worried and a bit frightened.

"I've never been so wrong in all my life!" Thorin exclaims loudly. He then grabs Bilbo and hugs him tightly, a surprised Bilbo hugging him back. Before Nariel could say anything Thorin turned and embraced her deeply as well. Nariel smiled as she listened to the dwarves cheer and slap each other on the back. She also could have sworn she saw Gandalf smiling. Maybe this moment meant that Thorin was beginning to trust her race again. Or at least he was beginning to trust her. Nariel returned his hug for a brief moment then pulled away to stand back next to Bilbo again.

"I'm sorry I doubted you two," Thorin apologized. Nariel smiled but Bilbo shook his head.

"No, I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior…..not even a burglar," Bilbo said chuckling and looking at mainly Gandalf and Nariel. As everyone chuckles, the Eagles fly away, screeching. Thorin looks beyond Bilbo and sees something; he strides forward and the others follow his gaze.

"Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo asked from her place beside Nariel and Thorin. In the distance, on the horizon, they see the outline of a single, solitary mountain.

"Erebor….The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-Earth," Nariel spoke quietly and looked down at the Hobbit.

"Our home," Thorin said nodding. A bird cheeps and flies by.

"A raven! The birds are returning to the mountain," Oin declared. More birdsong is heard as the stand on to top of Carrock.

"That, my dear Oin, is a thrush," Gandalf said chuckling slightly.

"But we'll take that as a sign…...good omen," Thorin stated still staring into the distance.

"You're right. I do believe the worst is behind us," Bilbo said smiling slightly. The Company stays and looks on towards the Lonely Mountain as the sun sets behind them.

The thrush flies across the Desolation of Smaug, flying in front of the ruined gates of Erebor, and then finally lands on a rock on the side of the mountain. It picks up a snail and bangs the snail shell against the side of the mountain. Inside the mountain, a massive pile of gold, coins, jewels, and treasures is piled up in the throne room, and the sounds of the thrush echo through the massive chambers. Some of the gold is blown away, revealing Smaug's snout beneath the pile. As Smaug slowly raises his head from beneath the pile, more treasure falls away from his face. Suddenly, his eye opens, and Smaug growls.

**And this brings us to the end of the first movie. I will do a couple filler chapter before starting the second part. Anyways, I hope you did enjoy this. Please leave a review?**


	24. Of Learning about the Ri brothers

_Last time:_

_The thrush flies across the Desolation of Smaug, flying in front of the ruined gates of Erebor, and then finally lands on a rock on the side of the mountain. It picks up a snail and bangs the snail shell against the side of the mountain. Inside the mountain, a massive pile of gold, coins, jewels, and treasures is piled up in the throne room, and the sounds of the thrush echo through the massive chambers. Some of the gold is blown away, revealing Smaug's snout beneath the pile. As Smaug slowly raises his head from beneath the pile, more treasure falls away from his face. Suddenly, his eye opens, and Smaug growls._

…..

Nariel quickly learned that there were many things you do not do while traveling with dwarves. For one, you don't challenge Nori's burglar skills. The results are not usually what you would expect.

…..

"Nori, please tell me where it is?! It's important to me! Please!" Nariel begged as she rode behind Nori's pony. Nori glanced back at her over his shoulder and gave a bit of a smile.

"No, you'll have to find it on your own. Or have Bilbo help you. Might teach you not to challenge my burglar skills again," Nori said looking forward once more.

"Nori, please!" Nariel tried pleading with him again. The other dwarves were now looking at them both to see what would happen.

Nori pulled on the reigns of his pony and came to a halt. He regarded her for a moment but then slowly nodded. A smile began to form on his face once more.

"Hmm, I'm not sure I should give you your bow back. What do I get out of it?" Nori questioned her and raised an eyebrow. Nariel felt her eyes widen a bit and she began shaking her head.

"Please, Nori, just give it back," Nariel begged once more.

"Not until you tell me what I get out of it," Nori stated. Nariel sat there and thought for a moment.

"I won't ever challenge your abilities again. I promise," Nariel told the younger dwarf. Nori tilted his head and smiled at her again before producing her bow from under his jacket.

"That's all I ever wanted to hear," Nori said before handing the bow back to her. Nariel smiled and took it much quicker than she'd ever taken anything before.

"Thank you, Nori. Thank you," Nariel thanked him many, many times before strapping the bow onto her back where it belonged.

….

All too soon, Nariel learned that you do not just mess with the Ri brothers at all. And it's not a good idea to participate in a prank with Kili. A couple days after challenging Nori's burglar abilities, Nariel and Kili had this bright idea of taking Ori's writing utensils and hiding them in Dori's saddle bags once they'd set up camp. So the next time Dori went to get something out of the bags all of his things were covered in ink. The two brothers began fighting and bickering while Nariel and Kili just sat back and listened. Eventually the two dwarves came to the conclusion that it wasn't Ori's fault that all of Dori's things were messy. Now all they had to do was figure out who. Nariel had a sneaking suspicion that the two dwarves had also silently come to the conclusion that it was her fault because they were looking at her thoughtfully.

"Come on, Kili, let's go for a walk," Nariel said standing and pulling the young dwarf prince to his feet beside her. For a moment he looked confused, but then when he saw the way that Ori and Dori were looking at them he nodded and followed her towards the trees.

"Do you think they know it was us?" Kili asked looking up at the taller she elf beside him. Nariel shrugged but then nodded a little bit.

"I do believe that they think it was me at least. I don't think they know that you helped me," Nariel answered him as she continued walking away from the camp. Kili nodded slightly in acceptance of the answer.

"Why don't you think that they think I helped you?" Kili asked her. After all, Kili was not known for keeping a straight face after one of his pranks had been discovered.

"I don't know. Maybe you fooled them somehow," Nariel replied looking down at him, "You have an ability to do that you know."

"No not really. Usually after one of my pranks has been discovered I can't help but smile. I always give myself away," Kili informed her. Nariel let out a small laugh and shook her head slightly.

"Well, I don't think you were smiling. To me it seemed like you were keeping a straight face," Nariel said smiling down at him. Kili stopped in his tracks and stared at her for a moment. There was something different about this she-elf. It was something he couldn't put his finger on.

"What?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking we should start heading back. It's getting dark and I don't want my Uncle blaming you for trying to abduct me or something," Kili said offering her a smile of his own. Nariel nodded and started walking back the way they'd come.

"You don't mind me being in the company then?" Nariel asked Kili after they'd been walking back for a few minutes. Kili shook his head quickly.

"No, I don't mind it at all. You're not a normal elf," Kili said before he could stop himself.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nariel questioned the young dwarf beside her.

"It just means that you haven't tried to kill us because of this thing between elves and dwarves. That's all," Kili replied as they broke through the tree line and their camp came into sight. Nariel nodded but otherwise stayed silent.

Once they finally reached their camp, Nariel noticed the Ri brothers giving her some looks that made her feel uneasy. She went over to her spot to lay down and discovered why they'd all been smiling the way they had been. All her belongs were covered in ink. Including her bow! Not seconds after she discovered hers, she heard a fairly girlish type shriek that she guessed indicated that Kili had found his stuff the same way.

Nariel spared a glance over at the Ri brothers and saw that they were now kind of snickering. It was either that or they were trying to keep their laughs in.

"This is going to take forever to get out," Nariel muttered as she looked at her ink covered things. She listened to Kili complaining to his brother for a moment before concluding not to mess with dwarves' things again.

_**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I don't think it was that great since I just thought it up and typed it, but maybe you thought differently. Anyways, please leave a review?**_


	25. Gloin and Thorin

_Last time:_

_Once they finally reached their camp, Nariel noticed the Ri brothers giving her some looks that made her feel uneasy. She went over to her spot to lay down and discovered why they'd all been smiling the way they had been. All her belongs were covered in ink. Including her bow! Not seconds after she discovered hers, she heard a fairly girlish type shriek that she guessed indicated that Kili had found his stuff the same way._

_Nariel spared a glance over at the Ri brothers and saw that they were now kind of snickering. It was either that or they were trying to keep their laughs in._

_"This is going to take forever to get out," Nariel muttered as she looked at her ink covered things. She listened to Kili complaining to his brother for a moment before concluding not to mess with dwarves' things again._

_**...**_

A few days later, Nariel discovered that Gloin was quite the storyteller. He was constantly telling her stories about his family and about Erebor. Although a great majority of them were about his kin.

Gloin would tell Nariel of his little lad Gimli. How he would follow him around. How he would often be seen playing mock fights with toy weapons. How he was as stubborn as he was. Then Gloin would move onto the stories about his wife, Skadi. How she was so loving and caring. How she was so beautiful. How he'd never ever part with her if he had the choice. He'd then start telling her tales of Erebor. Of how it was before Smaug had come. Of course there was much more than that, but Nariel could not bear to go into details. And then there was also the fact that these stories were always repeated.

…

"Did I ever tell you about the time Gimli first started play fighting with the other dwarflings?" Gloin asked the Company. No one answered him for they had heard it many times since Goblin Town. However, Gloin took it as a sign that he had not told them yet.

"I'd gone out one day to the forge to get one of my axes fixed. I'd told Gimli to stay right where he was. When I got back home, he wasn't there…."

"Gloin, we heard this story yesterday and the day before that. I don't think any of us want to hear it again," Nariel said before glancing at the dwarf only to realize he hadn't heard her at all.

"And he was playing with his friends. Not the way he normally would either. They were using toy weapons…" Gloin continued on but by now most of the dwarves were no longer listening.

"So then I brought him home. He pleaded with me to teach him how to fight. At first, I told him no. He was too young for that. But eventually….." Gloin still continued speaking.

"Gloin, would you just please be quiet?" Nariel tried asking politely. The red haired dwarf still continued on.

"Gloin, for Valar's sake just be quiet!" Nariel finally said a little louder than probably necessary. Gloin finally stopped talking and looked up at the she-elf.

"Do you not enjoy the story?" Gloin asked eyeing her closely. Nariel shrugged and shook her head.

"No, I do. It's just that we heard it yesterday and the day before yesterday. I don't think any of us can really bare hearing that one again right now," Nariel replied looking down at the dwarf riding beside her.

"Oh, alright. I'll tell a different one then," Gloin said then launched into another story right away. Nariel merely rolled her eyes, and like most of the Company at this point, decided to tune out Gloin's voice.

…

Nariel soon also realized that Thorin wasn't much of a talker at all. Despite the fact that elves and dwarves did not like each other whatsoever, Nariel was trying her best to talk to him. She'd tried explaining her motives better for not telling them right away that she was an elf. She'd tried asking him what he was going to do when they finally reached Erebor to which he'd merely replied that it was none of her business. She'd tried having many conversations with him, but almost all of them had ended up being pretty one sided.

Of course whenever she'd start talking to Fili or Kili or any of the dwarves for that matter, Thorin would turn back and regard her with a cold look. But that was mainly when she was speaking with his nephews because as soon as he'd noticed that they'd started talking he'd order Fili and Kili to ride up next to him. The two would ignore him for a few minutes before he'd order them to come up to the front, usually with a much angrier tone in his voice. After this would happen, she'd tell the two young dwarves that it was fine if they left. They'd both nod at her then quickly move up towards the front. Now when Thorin would see her talking to any of the other dwarves, he'd just regard her with his icy look but otherwise would leave them alone.

Despite all this, Nariel had gotten Thorin to talk to her once. She had been riding beside him when he'd asked her how she'd known his father. She told him a story or two on how she knew Thrain, and they exchanged a few more words before Thorin simply nodded and rode ahead of her.

...

"How did you know my father?" Thorin asked Nariel once he'd realized she was riding next to him. The fact that she'd known many of the kings of the dwarves had bugged him ever since she'd revealed that in Rivendell.

"As I may have mentioned back in either Bag-End or Rivendell, I travel pretty much everywhere helping those that need the help. My travels brought me to Erebor on more than one occasion," Nariel told the dwarven king.

"What was one occasion?" Thorin questioned her almost immediately.

"Well, I was there to help in one of the battles once. I can't remember which one though. Thing is, your father never requested me to be there. I just kinda showed up. But he must have noticed I was there as the fight went on because shortly after I returned home, my father received word that Thrain requested my presence back in Erebor. So I left again and headed back. He asked me what I had been doing there and I told him," Nariel said looking down at Thorin again. What she had just said had even confused herself a little with the way she worded things.

"So you just showed up for the battles then?" Thorin inquired staring straight ahead now.

"No, I would drop by occasionally for random visits. Your father didn't seem to mind them either. Once I actually spent some time playing with you when you were a dwarfling. And sometimes I'd offer him strategic ideas although I don't think he ever listened to them. I mainly knew your father from a diplomatic and sometimes from a soldier's standpoint," Nariel told him. Thorin listened quietly and once Nariel was finished this time, he just nodded his head and pulled his pony ahead of her horse.

_**I realize that this may not be my best chapter and that I've left some things out or stretched them a little, but I was just trying to be creative. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave me a review?**_


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